HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3695        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3674

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John Barrett, III

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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 municipal aggregation and third-party suppliers.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3695        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3674

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to municipal aggregation and third-party suppliers.

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. Section 1F of chapter 164 of the General Laws, as amended by section 78 of chapter 8 of the acts of 2021, is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:-

(11) Upon a completed request from a customer to switch the customer’s electricity service, the department shall ensure that the customer’s electricity is transitioned to the new service provider within 30 days or one billing cycle of the customer’s request unless the customer sooner rescinds the request pursuant to clause (ix) of subparagraph (a) of paragraph (8) or files a complaint pursuant to subparagraph (b) of said paragraph (8).

SECTION 2. Section 134 of said chapter 164, as most recently amended by section 78 of chapter 126 of the acts of 2022, is hereby further amended by adding the following subsection:-

(c) A municipality may, by majority vote of its town meeting or town council, or, in the case of a city, by majority vote of the city council, with the approval of the mayor or the city manager in a Plan D or Plan E city, join a group of municipalities operating under an existing load aggregation program pursuant to this section.

Upon an affirmative vote to initiate the process of joining a group of municipalities operating under an existing load aggregation program pursuant to this section, the municipality shall file an application for the department’s review and approval. The form and manner of filing the application shall be established by the department; provided, however that the department shall complete its review of the application within 90 days of receiving the application. In the event that the department denies an application, the department shall provide the reasons for the denial to the municipality in writing.

All retail customers of a municipality that is approved by the department to join a group of municipalities operating under an existing load aggregation program pursuant to this section shall receive the same rights and privileges as the retail customers of the municipalities operating under an existing load aggregation, including the right to opt-out within 180 days without penalty.