Massachusetts House Bill H3974

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/31/25
• Refer: 3/31/25

Caption

Relative to cellular coverage

Summary

H3974 would direct the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable to work with cellular carriers to identify infrastructure improvements needed to expand cellular service statewide. The bill also requires the department, in consultation with the Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, to identify commonwealth- or municipal-owned parcels that could be sold, leased, or licensed to carriers at discounted or nominal cost for new cell towers or antenna sites in areas without coverage. If suitable public land is unavailable, the bill authorizes the identification of parcels the commonwealth could acquire or lease for the same purpose. The bill sets a statewide goal that, by January 1, 2030, all residents should be able to access cellular coverage on their mobile devices regardless of location. It also requires a report by July 30, 2026, to legislative clerks and relevant committees describing the infrastructure plan, identified land, and progress toward improved coverage.

Impact

The bill would expand the responsibilities of the Department of Telecommunications and Cable by making it the lead agency for statewide cellular coverage planning and coordination with carriers and land-management agencies. It would also affect the use of state and municipal property by creating a process to identify public land for discounted or nominal-value siting of cell towers and antenna facilities, and potentially for state acquisition or leasing of additional parcels. The bill does not directly amend existing private rights or carrier licensing rules, but it would create new planning, reporting, and land-use obligations for state agencies and could facilitate new infrastructure development in currently unserved areas.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or formal vote-based sentiment to assess. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a broad public-service and infrastructure expansion proposal aimed at improving rural and underserved connectivity. Its tone is generally pro-expansion and administrative, with an emphasis on coordination and statewide access rather than regulation or enforcement.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials because there are no committee transcripts or votes. Potential areas of disagreement suggested by the bill itself include the use of public land for private carrier infrastructure, the sale or lease of land at discounted or nominal consideration, the feasibility of guaranteeing universal cellular coverage by 2030, and the costs or administrative burden of identifying, acquiring, or repurposing parcels for tower siting. Stakeholders likely to have differing views would include telecommunications carriers, state and municipal land managers, local communities near proposed tower sites, and residents in underserved areas.