Budget & Taxes

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 2, 2026

H 3190: An Act granting property tax relief to seniors

This bill (HD 3981) allows Massachusetts cities and towns to provide property tax relief to seniors aged 75 or older. It authorizes local boards of assessors to grant a tax abatement of up to 100% on real and personal property taxes for qualifying residents. Eligibility criteria for this relief would be set by each municipality's board of assessors. The program is optional for local governments, meaning communities must choose to adopt it before offering this tax reduction to seniors.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly grants property tax relief to seniors, reducing their tax burden per title/summary, aligning with tax relief for lower-income groups.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 2, 2026

H 3258: An Act to cap the amount by which a senior's property tax can increase

This bill (HD 3074) caps annual property tax increases for qualifying senior homeowners in Massachusetts. It applies to Class One residential properties owned and occupied as a primary residence by residents aged 65+ who have lived in the state for 10 years and owned/occupied the property for 5 years. The cap limits annual tax increases to 2.5% (including special local tax overrides), preventing large yearly jumps. Local municipalities must approve the program through their selectmen, mayor, and city council before it applies to their residents.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCaps property tax increases for seniors, providing tax relief for fixed-income seniors under Budget & Taxes policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 16, 2026

H 3252: An Act improving older adult tax relief to address the rising cost of homeownership

This bill amends the definition of "real estate tax payment" to expand eligibility for an existing tax credit for older homeowners. It now includes 50% of paid water and sewer charges (where communities don't assess them) and 50% of homeowner's insurance costs when calculating the credit. The change directly affects older adults owning residential property who pay real estate taxes, making more expenses count toward their credit. For multi-unit properties, the bill clarifies that shared costs like water, sewer, and insurance are included proportionally.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax relief for older adults, directly reducing their tax burden and aligning with tax relief for vulnerable groups under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides property tax relief for older homeowners to address rising homeownership costs, directly supporting housing affordability for a vulnerable group.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Homeownership Property Taxes

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passed · Massachusetts · House May 11, 2026

H 178: An Act establishing a local value added tax on cannabis cultivation sales

By Representative Soter of Bellingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 178) of Michael J. Soter for legislation to establish a local value added tax on cannabis cultivation sales. Cannabis Policy.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes new local value added tax on cannabis cultivation, directly advancing tax policy under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Dec 22, 2025

S 2070: An Act relative to veteran tax abatements

By Mr. Rush, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2070) of Michael F. Rush and Paul McMurtry for legislation relative to veteran tax abatements. Revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides tax abatement (relief) for veterans, directly addressing taxation policy and reducing tax burden per Revenue focus.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransProvides tax abatement (reduced taxes) for veterans, directly expanding financial benefits as a form of state-level support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Housing

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passed · Massachusetts · House May 7, 2026

H 3147: An Act relative to the conservation land tax credit

This bill expands eligibility for Massachusetts' conservation land tax credit to include private nonprofit trusts focused on land conservation (with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status). It increases the annual tax credit limit from $2 million to $5 million over multiple years, then resets to $2 million for certain provisions. The changes apply specifically to land conservation organizations meeting federal tax-exempt criteria. The policy directly affects land trusts and conservation nonprofits by increasing financial support for preserving open space. The bill modifies tax credit thresholds in Chapters 62 and 63 of Massachusetts General Laws, with phased implementation from 2026 through 2035.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit for conservation land, reducing tax liability and aligning with tax relief indicators for fiscal policy.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentTax credit for conservation land incentivizes preservation of natural resources, directly advancing environmental protection through financial incentives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jun 18, 2026

S 2084: An Act relative to exemption from taxation structures and buildings essential to the operation of agricultural and horticultural lands

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2084) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation relative to exemption from taxation structures and buildings essential to the operation of agricultural and horticultural lands. Revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts agricultural/horticultural structures from taxation, providing tax relief for farmers and agricultural operations.95% confidence

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passed · Massachusetts · House Feb 12, 2026

H 3161: An Act relative to the classification and taxation of urban public access land

This bill creates a new property tax classification for "Urban Public Access Land" in Massachusetts cities, defined as at least 5,000 square feet of land maintained in natural, agricultural, or recreational use open to the public (e.g., community gardens, nature trails, or specific recreational areas like walking paths or picnicking). Landowners who qualify can have this land taxed at 25% of its fair market value, with the tax rate set at either commercial property rates or, for recreational land, open space rates. To qualify, landowners must apply annually by October 1st, provide documentation from a qualifying entity (like a Parks Commission), and maintain the land's public use. This directly affects landowners and municipalities by altering tax assessments for qualifying properties while preserving public access to natural or community spaces.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly addresses land classification and taxation under Revenue, directly impacting fiscal management and government revenue collection.90% confidence

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 16, 2026

H 3077: An Act to further the protection of agricultural land

This bill amends Massachusetts agricultural land protection law to explicitly include "the keeping of horses as a commercial enterprise" within the definition of protected agricultural land use. It directly affects commercial horse operations (like breeding or boarding businesses) by ensuring they qualify for the same land use protections previously applied to traditional farming activities. The key mechanism adds this specific phrase to two existing legal definitions in Chapter 64H, clarifying that horse-related commercial activities count as agricultural production under current law. This change does not create new programs or funding but adjusts the scope of existing protections.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes sales tax on commercial horse keeping to generate revenue, directly supporting fiscal management for agricultural land protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax

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passed · Massachusetts · House May 23, 2025

H 513: An Act requiring equitable funding for non-regional school districts with high transportation costs

The bill title indicates it aims to address funding for school districts with high transportation costs, but the provided text only states it is a "DRAFT BEING WORKED ON BY HOUSE COUNSEL" with no substantive policy details or provisions included. The summary section is blank, and no specific mechanisms, affected districts, or concrete changes are described in the available text. Without the actual bill language or a completed summary, a factual description of what the bill does cannot be provided. For an accurate summary, the full bill text or an official summary from the legislature would be required.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates state funding allocation for school districts with high transportation costs, increasing public education budget expenditure.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates equitable funding for school districts with high transportation costs, directly addressing school funding needs to ensure educational access and resource fairness.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill funds transportation costs for school districts, directly supporting transportation funding as per indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Transportation

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