Mass. lawmakers OK short-term rental bill

Boston (AP) — The Massachusetts Legislature gave final approval Monday to a bill that would tax and regulate short-term rentals, including those offered by Airbnb and other online platforms.

After weeks of negotiations, House and Senate lawmakers reached agreement on the compromise bill over the weekend. It called for extending the state’s current 5.7 percent hotel tax to most short-term rentals and giving cities and towns the option of tacking on an additional 6 percent to the tax; 9 percent if an owner rents out two or more units in the same community.

Several other bills were awaiting action before a midnight today deadline for completing work on major legislation.

Lawmakers also gave final approval Monday to a bill that would automatically update the registration status of voters when they interact with the Registry of Motor Vehicles and MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program.

If the bill is signed into law by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, Democratic Secretary of State William Galvin said his office would be able to start automatically registering voters on Jan. 1, 2020. Those automatically registered would be notified by mail of the opportunity to choose a political party or to decline to register.

“We should do everything we can to make it easier for people to vote,” said Democratic Sen. Cynthia Creem, of Newton.

Lawmakers also sent Baker a bill Monday that would authorize Massachusetts to borrow up to $2 billion to make the state more resilient to climate change, including funds to protect the state’s coastline against more frequent storms.

As the clock ticked down toward adjournment, behindthe-scenes negotiations were believed to be continuing at the Statehouse on a major health care bill that sought to reduce price disparities between large teaching hospitals and smaller community hospitals that are struggling to keep pace.

Among other measures hanging in the balance: a major economic development bill that includes a proposed sales tax holiday for the weekend of Aug. 11-12; a bill to expand access to addiction treatment; proposals to increase the supply of clean energy in the state; and a measure that would revamp the formula the state uses for providing direct assistance to public school districts.