SENATE DOCKET, NO. 647        FILED ON: 1/17/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2099

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Cynthia Stone Creem

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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 promoting access to zero-emission school buses.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 647        FILED ON: 1/17/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2099

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2943 OF 2021-2022.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act promoting access to zero-emission school buses.

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 section:-

SECTION 6A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-

“Commissioner”, the commissioner of the department of energy resources.

“Department”, the department of energy resources.

“Zero-emission school bus”, a school bus that produces no engine exhaust carbon emissions.

(b) The department, in conjunction with the Massachusetts clean energy technology center, shall establish a program to offset the cost difference between purchasing or contracting the use of school buses that are zero-emission and purchasing or contracting the use of school buses that are powered by diesel or other fossil fuels. In calculating the cost difference, the department may include the cost of purchasing and installing zero-emission school bus charging stations and related infrastructure.

(c) The department may promulgate regulations to administer the program established under this section. The department shall publish information about the zero-emission school bus grant program on its website, including without limitation application forms and submission deadlines. The department shall update this information annually, not later than December 1, and shall notify the department of elementary and secondary education, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education, the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy and the joint committee on transportation of the update. At least once per calendar year, the department shall provide outreach about the zero-emission school bus grant program established under this section to municipalities and regional school districts where the median household income is below the commonwealth’s median or where the 5-year average rate of emergency department visits for childhood (ages 5-14 years) asthmas is greater than the commonwealth’s 5-year average rate.

(d) The commissioner shall publish and regularly update data regarding program usage including, but not limited to: (i) the number and amount of grants provided; (ii) the make, model and type of school bus for which the rebate was issued; (iii) the municipality or regional school district in which the school bus operates; (iv) the school bus operational route or routes, if available; and (v) the estimated total greenhouse gas emissions reductions achieved from the grants issued.

(e) When awarding grants under this section, the department shall prioritize municipalities and regional school districts where the median household income is below the commonwealth’s median or where the 5-year average rate of emergency department visits for childhood (ages 5-14 years) asthmas is greater than the commonwealth’s 5-year average rate.

SECTION 2. The operational services division, in conjunction with the department of energy resources and the Massachusetts clean energy technology center, shall establish a statewide contract through which municipalities and regional school districts can purchase or lease zero-emission school buses.