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The state House of Representatives approved Gov. Charlie Baker’s zoning reform bill by a wide margin, as part of a must-pass economic development legislation which the Senate is scheduled to take up Wednesday.
The jobs bill cleared the House 156-3 on Tuesday night, following two days of marathon sessions, and the House then launched into consideration of a bill that sponsors said takes a surgical approach to health care issues like telemedicine and support for community hospitals.
With the formal session calendar expiring Friday, senators anxious not to see priorities die filed 361 amendments on a variety of topics to the jobs bill, which carries an extra level of importance given that Massachusetts has the highest unemployment rate in the nation and desperately needs to bring jobs back.
The Senate version of the bill does not contain the language of Baker’s “An Act to Promote Housing Choices,” which would reduce the threshold needed for local boards to pass certain housing-related zoning changes from the current two-thirds to one-half. However, Worcester Republican Sen. Dean Tran has filed an amendment proposing to add it to the bill. Sens. Brendan Crighton and Julian Cyr have also filed an amendment that would offer a similar change but also require most towns and cities within the MBTA’s service area to zone land near transit stops for multifamily development.
Other amendments up for consideration include tenants’ right of first refusal, which was included in the House version of the jobs bill, along with extensions of mortgage forbearance during the COVID-19 state of emergency, a $20 million expansion of the Housing Development Incentive Program and transfer taxes on luxury homes.
State House News Service contributed to this report.
