ANNUAL. REPORT OF THE COUNSEL 

 John J. McColgan, Counsel 



The Department filed seven bills through the Secretary of State's office 

 for the calendar year 1980. Six of them received favorable reports from the 

 Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture, and the seventh bill received a 

 favorable report from the Committee on Taxation. The first six expired m the 

 House Ways and Means Committee and the seventh, in the Senate Ways and Means 

 Committee. 



We did have su<:cess, however ^ in other bills affecting agriculture for the 

 fiscal year 1980, 



Chapter 572. An Act Relative To The Operation Of Farm Vehicles. ( Approved 



August 28, 1979) 



This Act removed the fifty mile restriction on farm vehicles. Farm vehicles 

 may now travel anywhere within the Commonwealth, or in bordering states which have 

 a reciprocal agreement with the Registry of Motor Vehicles for the operation of 

 similarly registered vehicles. 



Chapter 693. An Act Exempting Certain Agricultural Or Aquacultural Projects From 

 The Wetlands Protection Act. (Approved November 7, 1979) 



This Act exempts aquaculture as well as agriculture from the Wetlands 

 Protection Act. 



Chapter 704. An Act Regulating The Generation, Transportation, Storage, Treatment 

 And Disposal of Hazardous Waste. (Approved November 9, 1979) 



This Act set up a Division of Hazardous Waste in the Department of Environmental 

 Quality Engineering and established a Hazardous Waste Advisory Committee. It has 

 no immediate effect on agriculture. 



Chapter 86. An Act Relative To The Development And Encouragement Of The Breeding 

 Of Standardbred Horses. (Approved April 10, 1980) 



This Act provides that no colt or filly shall be eligible to race in the 

 Standardbred Program unless registered with the Department and the Massachusetts 

 Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association. 



Chapter 102. An Act Relative To The Control And Eradication Of Brucellosis In 

 Bovine Animals. (Approved April 23, 1980) 



This Act changed the effective date of Section 2 of Chapter 485 of the acts 

 of 1978 from July 1 to January 1, 1981. 



Chapter 378. An Act Further Regulating Certain Agricultural Land Use. 



(Approved July 3, 1980) 



This Act broadened the scope of the Land Use Program in the Department. Now 

 any person may make application for a permit to use vacant public land for 

 propagation and cultivation of fruitbearing trees and shrubs, and nut trees. 



Chapter 397. An Act Providing That Employees Of The County Cooperative Extension 

 Service Of Suffolk County May Participate In the Commonwealth's Group Insurance 

 Program. (Approved July 7, 1980) 



The title of this Act is self- explanatory. 



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