APR. 2

SECTION 15.   Subsection (a) of section 23 of said chapter 20, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 3 sentences:- The commissioner of agricultural resources shall, subject to the approval of the agricultural lands preservation committee established in section 24 and in consultation with the board of agriculture established in section 1, establish policies and promulgate regulations for the management and oversight of the program to assist the commonwealth in the acquisition of agricultural preservation restrictions. The commissioner shall promulgate regulations pursuant to this section in accordance with section 2 of chapter 30A, including the requirement that a public hearing be held. The regulations shall, at a minimum establish: (i) criteria for when the department may exercise a right of first refusal, option to purchase at fair market agricultural value or other similar right contained in an agricultural preservation restriction as held by the commonwealth; (ii) a process and guidelines for conferences as required in this subsection; and (iii) a process for waiver requests pursuant to subsection (d).