AN ACT AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO REGULATE CERTAIN STONE WALLS.

HB 5397 authorizes municipalities to regulate stone walls located within public rights-of-way (such as alongside streets or highways) through local ordinances. It specifically adds authority for towns to control excavation, alteration, or opening of these stone walls, and to prohibit such actions without permission. This bill directly affects local governments, giving them a new tool to manage stone walls that border public roadways. The change takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies only to stone walls in designated public rights-of-way, not to all stone walls.