SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1204        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2303

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Walter F. Timilty

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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 the expansion of the commuter rail and ferry low-income fare program.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1204        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2303

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2386 OF 2021-2022.]

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 the expansion of the commuter rail and ferry 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 Department of Transportation, 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 and ferry, that provides reduced or discounted transit fares to qualifying riders between the ages of 25 – 65. The study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of (i) number of riders who would benefit from the program, (ii) number of riders within each zone who would benefit from the program, (iii) the average reduction of each fare by mode, (iii) overall impact on fare revenue, (iv) models for determining eligibility requirements and the verification method, (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 Transit 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.