HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3271        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 728

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act to promote the use of green taxicabs..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 21A of the General Laws as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-Section 3F. The commissioner shall establish a list annually updated to rank vehicles sold within the Commonwealth based on a vehicle's fuel mileage rating as established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency relative to other vehicles within its passenger seating class.

SECTION 2. Section 22 of chapter 40 of the General Laws as so appearing is hereby amended by adding the following two paragraphs:-

Every metered taxicab licensed under this section shall be a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle, as defined in section 1 of chapter 90 of the general laws, or shall be a vehicle which is included in the top 10% of the list established by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs which ranks vehicles sold within the Commonwealth based on a vehicle’s fuel mileage rating.  No vehicle which is less than 60 percent as efficient, for 2 to 4 and 5-passenger vehicles, and 70 percent as efficient, for 6-passenger and more vehicles, as the best vehicle in its respective class may be used.  Any vehicle which is purchased in accordance with this list may be used for the life of the vehicle as a taxicab, as determined by the governing municipality.

Every metered taxicab licensed under this section shall use a global positioning system.

SECTION 3.Section 2 of this act shall take effect on January 1, 2016.