Establishes the Office of Maritime Planning and Policy Development.

This bill establishes within the Division of Mass Transit an Office of Maritime Planning and Policy Development, which shall perform functions that the administrator and secretary determine in relation to the provision of policy and planning assistance for the development and intermodal connectivity of the Commonwealth's ports, connection to rail, waterways, marine infrastructure and operations, to increase the use of the Commonwealth's waterways and to promote waterborne transportation designed to maintain the Commonwealth's economic competitiveness. The office will be under the supervision and control of the director. The director will be the executive and administrative head of the division and will be responsible for administering and enforcing the provisions of law and regulations. The duties given to the director in this chapter and in any other general or special law will be exercised and discharged subject to the direction, control and supervision of the administrator and secretary; provided however, that said functions, duties and powers shall not conflict in any way with the functions, administrative duties, powers and jurisdiction granted to the Massachusetts Port Authority, the Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket Steamship Authority, Steamship Authority of or Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority by any general or special laws.

Carries-over to 2018.

01/23/2017 Referred to House Committee on Transportation. Senate concurred.
02/24/2017 Referred to Joint Committee on Transportation. Senate concurred in committee referral.
12/26/2017 Reported favorably by Joint Committee on Transportation. Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means.