SENATE DOCKET, NO. 534        FILED ON: 1/17/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1969

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patrick M. O'Connor

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act creating a commission to study the feasibility of rapid transit systems.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

 

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

1/30/2017

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

2/1/2017

James M. Cantwell

4th Plymouth

2/3/2017

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

2/3/2017

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

2/3/2017


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 534        FILED ON: 1/17/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1969

By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1969) of Patrick M. O'Connor, Donald F. Humason, Jr., Sheila C. Harrington, James M. Cantwell and other members of the General Court for legislation to create a commission to study the feasibility of rapid transit systems.  Transportation.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act creating a commission to study the feasibility of rapid transit systems.

 

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

SECTION 19. Notwithstanding any special or general law there shall be a special commission on Rapid Transit Systems to determine the feasibility of permitting non-exclusive access to rights-of-way to mobility network providers meeting the following criteria: (1) Privately funded construction; (2) Privately operated without government subsidies; (3) Exceed 120 passenger-miles per gallon, or equivalent energy efficiency; (4) Exceed safety performance of transportation modes already approved for use, and; (5) Gather more than 2 megawatt-hours of renewable energy per network-mile per typical day.

The commission shall include, but not be limited to, the secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, the commissioner of the department of energy resources, the secretary of the department of transportation, the general manager of the Massachusetts Bay transportation authority,  the chief executive officer of the Massachusetts clean energy center, 2 members of the Bay State Sunway group, 2 members of the senate, appointed by the senate president, and 2 members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house.

The commission shall submit a report to the Governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the joint committee on transportation, and the department of transportation no later than December 31, 2018, setting forth the commission’s findings, together with any recommendations for regulatory or legislative action with a timeline for planning, construction, implementation, economic impact, and integration of zero carbon emission transportation systems.