SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2411        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2255

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Barrett

_________________

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 to convert the state government fleet to electric vehicles.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2411        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2255

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

An Act to convert the state government fleet to electric vehicles.

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 448 of the acts of 2016 is hereby amended by inserting after section 6 the following 2 sections:-

Section 6A. (a) The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in consultation with the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, the executive office for administration and finance, and, where appropriate, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Port Authority, and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, shall create and maintain an inventory of motor vehicles owned or leased by the commonwealth and shall plan to convert said vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. The inventory shall include a critical replacement list consisting of non-zero emission vehicles such that, if the non-zero emission vehicle needs to be replaced, replacement with a zero-emission vehicle is operationally feasible and results in a positive lifecycle cost benefit. The critical replacement list shall include, but not be limited to, vehicles that are approaching the end of their useful lives or are otherwise reasonable candidates for replacement and whose replacement presents a high or medium priority opportunity for near-term electrification as indicated in the study completed pursuant to section 6 and published on December 22, 2017 or any successive analysis or study required by law or commissioned by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or the department of energy resources. Not less than every 3 years, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in consultation with the executive office of energy and environmental affairs and the executive office for administration and finance, shall revise and update the analysis of opportunities for near-term electrification of vehicles owned, purchased or leased by the commonwealth. For the purposes of this section, “commonwealth” shall include, but not be limited to, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Port Authority and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, but shall not include municipalities, regional school districts and regional transit authorities authorized pursuant to chapter 161B of the General Laws. Nothing in this section shall prevent or limit the commonwealth from purchasing a zero-emission vehicle for a vehicle or purpose not identified on the critical replacement list. For the purposes of this section, “zero-emission vehicle” shall mean a motor vehicle that produces no engine exhaust emissions.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2024, each purchase or lease by the commonwealth of a motor vehicle identified on the critical replacement list under subsection (a) by the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, the Massachusetts Port Authority and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, but not including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, municipalities, regional school districts and regional transit authorities authorized pursuant to chapter 161B of the General Laws, shall be a zero-emission vehicle. The commonwealth shall prioritize the deployment of zero-emission vehicles in underserved communities and communities with a high percentage of low-income households.  For the purposes of this section, “zero-emission vehicle” shall mean a motor vehicle that produces no engine exhaust emissions. (c) Not later than 12 months from the effective date of this act, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in consultation with the department of energy resources, shall develop recommendations for the siting of zero-emission vehicle charging facilities to serve state-owned or leased zero-emission vehicles and zero-emission passenger buses across the commonwealth. The recommendations shall consider locations across the commonwealth, including within municipal light plant territories, shall consider the benefit and potential cost savings to ratepayers of various locations, and shall consider whether to allow access to said charging facilities to members of the general public.

Section 6B. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, in consultation with the department of energy resources, shall conduct, publish and periodically update a study of the opportunities for near-term electrification of vehicles owned or leased by municipalities, regional school districts and regional transit authorities authorized pursuant to chapter 161B of the General Laws. The study shall include, but not be limited to: (i) an analysis of the cost of vehicle electrification, associated equipment and supplies and possible methods of meeting such costs, including, but not limited to, state financial support, federal financial support and procurements by regional planning agencies and other entities made up of local and regional governments; (ii) recommendations for the allowance within the fleets of non-electric emergency vehicles; and (iii) opportunities to pair electrification with renewable energy resources, energy storage or demand response technology and policy. The Department of Transportation shall publish the study on its website not later than 18 months after the effective date of this section and shall thereafter publish revisions of the study on its website not less than every 3 years. The study and subsequent revisions shall be submitted to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on transportation and the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy and posted on the department of energy resource’s website.

SECTION 2. The motor vehicle inventory required by section 6A of chapter 448 of the acts of 2016 shall be established not later than 12 months from the effective date of this act.