An Act to reform payments in lieu of taxes for state-owned land

This bill (HD 3587) updates how Massachusetts reimburses cities and towns for state-owned land, directly affecting municipalities with state property. It replaces the current reimbursement formula with one calculating annual payments based on land valuation, using a 3-year average of local tax rates, while guaranteeing payments won’t drop below the previous year’s amount. The bill also requires the state to develop recommendations within one year to adjust future reimbursements to better value carbon storage, forest cover, water services, and other ecosystem benefits provided by state-owned land. These recommendations must address equitable reimbursement across regions and for areas with high state-owned land ownership. The changes take effect after the state submits these recommendations to legislative committees.