The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation amending the Live Local Act to clarify land-use and implementation rules for projects that seek administrative approval under the program.

Senator Colladio (Senator the 30 Eighth District) explained the bill as refining the 2023 Live Local Act to make it easier to build workforce housing near jobs, schools and services. The sponsor said the bill ‘‘provides that local governments cannot require more than 10% of the square footage of a live local mixed use development to be used for nonresidential purposes’’ and makes multiple technical changes on density, height and administrative review.

A late-filed amendment adopted on the floor narrowed and clarified several provisions. According to the amendment’s floor explanation, the change allows ‘‘a proposed affordable housing development on property developed and maintained as a golf course, tennis court, or swimming pool … to utilize the Live Local administrative approval process’’ while adding guardrails near single-family neighborhoods and reducing the previously planned parking reduction from 20% to 10%.

The bill also clarifies that hotels may qualify as commercial use but excludes vacation rentals, adjusts allowable story height calculations relative to base flood elevation, and preserves preemption and dispute-resolution mechanisms for Live Local projects. Sponsors said the bill preserves local government authority in limited circumstances, exempts certain environmentally sensitive areas and includes provisions to support employer-sponsored housing and priority docketing for Live Local projects.

The Senate approved the measure by voice/board announcement, recorded as 36 yeas, 0 nays.

Why it matters: The Live Local program is a statewide initiative to speed development of workforce housing. The changes adopted clarify project eligibility, administrative procedures and development standards, and the late amendment expands administrative access for specified recreationally developed parcels with added local protections.

Next steps: The bill passed the Senate; the transcript does not include House action or effective dates.