SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2726

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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SENATE, March 3, 2022.

The committee on Transportation, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2386) of Walter F. Timilty for legislation relative to the expansion of the commuter rail and ferry low-income fare program, reports the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2726).

For the committee,

John F. Keenan

        FILED ON: 2/2/2022

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2726

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act relative to the expansion of the commuter rail low-income fare program.

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

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in coordination with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, shall conduct a study of the impacts, benefits, and costs of a low-income fare program for the commuter rail that provides reduced or discounted transit fares to qualifying riders between the ages of 25 and 65. The study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of the (i) number of riders who would benefit from the program; (ii) number of riders within each zone who would benefit from the program; (iii) average reduction of each fare by mode; (iii) overall impact on fare revenue; (iv) models for determining eligibility requirements and the verification method; and (v) improved methods for advertising existing reduced fare programs and the potential expansion under this study to the general public. The report shall examine the potential for the Department of Transitional Assistance to inform individuals who qualify for MassHealth that they qualify for reduced fare programs under the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The report shall be filed with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on transportation no later than July 31, 2023.