Section 23A:3H - Director of Massachusetts permit regulatory office; regulatory ombudsman; annual report(a) There shall be a permit regulatory office within the executive office of economic development. The secretary of economic development shall appoint a person with experience in permitting and business development to serve as the director of the permit regulatory office. The director of the permit regulatory office shall: (i) serve as the state permit ombudsman to new and expanding businesses; (ii) work with other state agencies, but not including divisions of the state secretary's office, to expedite the process of obtaining state licenses, permits, state certificates, state approvals and other requirements of law; (iii) provide technical assistance to municipalities interested in streamlining local permitting processes; (iv) review and approve or deny municipal priority development site proposals made pursuant to chapter 43D and monitor the development of priority development sites; (v) subject to appropriation, administer and award technical assistance grants pursuant to chapter 43D; and (vi) support the administration of the growth districts initiative as defined in chapter 43E. The permit regulatory office shall consult with the secretary of energy and environmental affairs, the secretary of housing and livable communities and the secretary of transportation prior to approving or denying a proposed priority development site; provided, that for local review procedures the regulatory office shall consult with relevant municipal officials and regional planning agencies responsible for local review procedures. (b) There shall be a regulatory ombudsman within the permit regulatory office to address regulatory matters of interest to the business community. The regulatory ombudsman shall work in partnership with the state permitting ombudsman to assist businesses in the process of complying with state regulations and other requirements of law that affect businesses. The regulatory ombudsman shall facilitate communication between individual businesses and state agencies and provide periodic training to regulatory personnel in state agencies on how to identify the small business impacts of regulation, how to reduce those impacts and how to expedite and streamline the process or compliance. (c) The director of the permit regulatory office shall file an annual report with the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than January 1 detailing the activities of the permit regulatory office. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 23A, § 23A:3H
Amended by Acts 2024, c. 238,§ 40, eff. 11/20/2024.Amended by Acts 2023 , c. 7, § 70, eff. 6/3/2023.Amended by Acts 2023 , c. 7, § 69, eff. 6/3/2023.Amended by Acts 2023 , c. 7, § 68, eff. 6/3/2023.Amended by Acts 2012 , c. 238, § 8, eff. 8/7/2012.Amended by Acts 2007 , c. 19, § 53, eff. 2/28/2007.Amended by Acts 2006 , c. 205, § 4, eff. 8/2/2006.