HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2446        FILED ON: 2/17/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1954

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Marjorie C. Decker

_________________

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 relative to a just transition to clean energy.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2446        FILED ON: 2/17/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1954

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act relative to a just transition to clean energy.

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 23 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 26. Just Transition to Clean Energy

(a) In the department of career services, within the executive office of labor and workforce development, there shall be a just transition office. The office shall ensure that workers employed in the energy sector who are displaced due to efforts by the commonwealth or the private sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or transition from fossil fuels to clean energy have immediate access to employment and training opportunities in clean energy industries and related fields. The just transition office shall also work with clean energy businesses to ensure they act as responsible employers to further the commonwealth’s workforce and economic development goals. The just transition office shall also work to increase access to employment and training opportunities in clean energy industries and related fields for residents of environmental justice communities.

(b) The secretary of labor and workforce development shall appoint the director of the office.

(c) Within the office there shall be a just transition advisory committee consisting of: (1) the director of the office; (2) the secretary of labor and workforce development and the commissioner of the department of energy resources, or their designees; (3) the director of the office of clean energy equity in the executive office of energy and environmental affairs; (4) a representative of employers in the gas utility sector appointed by the governor; (5) a representative of employers in the electric power generation sector appointed by the governor; (6) a representative of employers in the renewable electricity sector appointed by the governor; (7) a representative of employers in the energy efficiency sector appointed by the governor; (8) a representative of employers in the clean transportation sector appointed by the governor; (9) a representative of employers in the clean heating sector appointed by the governor; (10) a representative of employees in the gas utility sector appointed by the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO; (11) a representative of employees in the electric power generation sector appointed by the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO; (12) two representatives of employees in the clean energy sector appointed by the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO; (13) a representative of employees in the transportation sector appointed by the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO; (14) the president of the Massachusetts Building Trades Council or a designee, and (15) two representative of environmental justice communities appointed by the director of the office of clean energy equity.

(d) The committee shall be tasked with developing a just transition plan for the energy sector that identifies workers currently employed in the sector by industry, trade, and job classification, and contains relevant information including, but not limited to, current wage and benefit packages and current licensing, certification and training requirements. The committee, through the just transition plan, shall recommend education and training programs to enhance re-employment opportunities within the energy sector, and services to support dislocated workers displaced from jobs within the energy sector as a result of emissions-reducing policies and advancements in clean energy technology. The just transition plan shall also recommend actions to increase opportunities for residents of environmental justice communities to work in clean energy industries.

(e) The just transition plan shall include provisions to:

(1) Administer climate adjustment assistance benefits that are similar in type, amount, and duration to federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Benefits available pursuant to 20 CFR 617.20–617.49;

(2) Educate dislocated workers, in collaboration with employers of dislocated workers and relevant labor unions, on re-employment or training opportunities, and how to apply for climate adjustment assistance benefits;

(3) Provide training, cross-training, and re-training to workers displaced by gas infrastructure loss in the commonwealth’s local distribution companies and related businesses;

(4) Address the workforce development challenges of the fossil fuel energy sector’s shrinking workforce over the course of the commonwealth’s 25-year transition to a clean energy economy;

(5) Incentivize the hiring of displaced energy sector workers with utilities, clean energy industries, and related industries;

(6) Work with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to ensure that training and employment opportunities for displaced energy sector workers are included in their initiatives, incentives, funding opportunities, and projects;

(7) Work with the department of public utilities and other agencies regulating the energy sector within the commonwealth to coordinate just transition initiatives, complementing the other regulatory priorities of those agencies;

(8) Establish a fund to implement the just transition plan and its components, including potential sources for sustainable short-term and long-term funding;

(9) Develop requirements, including the submission of a workforce reduction plan, for energy sector employers that are closing a facility or significantly reducing their workforces as a result of efforts by the commonwealth or the private sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or transition from fossil fuels to clean energy; and

(10) Increase access to employment and training opportunities in clean energy industries and related fields for residents of environmental justice communities.

(f) Employers described in paragraph (9) of subsection (e) shall submit a workforce reduction plan to the office. Workforce reduction plans shall be subject to section 10 of chapter 66 and shall include:

(1)  The reasons for the workforce reduction or facility closure;

(2) The total number of workers by job classification and by geographic assignment employed by the employer;

(3)  The total number of workers whose existing jobs who will be retained, by job classification and geographic location;

(4) The total number of workers whose existing jobs will be eliminated by the workforce reduction or the closure of a facility, by job classification and geographic location;

(5)  Whether each classification of workers whose jobs are being eliminated will be offered employment in any other job classification or capacity by the employer; how many employees in each classification will be offered employment; and whether the replacement employment offered will provide comparable wages, benefits, and working conditions;

(6)  Whether the employer is offering severance or early retirement benefits to impacted workers; the value of the severance or early retirement benefits; whether the severance or early retirement benefits are being provided to all or certain classes of workers; and how many impacted workers intend to utilize these offerings;

(7) Whether the employer plans to transfer the work to a separate facility, enter a contracting agreement for work previously performed by company employees, or otherwise outsource work previously performed by company employees; and

(8) Whether the employer is a recipient of loans, grants, tax increment financing, or any other financial incentive from the commonwealth, its independent state agencies, departments, or corporations, or any municipality within the last 5 years.