HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1243        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3524

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

William F. MacGregor

_________________

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 transparency in private utility construction contracts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

William F. MacGregor

10th Suffolk

1/14/2025

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

1/28/2025

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

1/28/2025

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

1/28/2025

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

1/28/2025

Frank A. Moran

17th Essex

1/28/2025

Paul McMurtry

11th Norfolk

1/28/2025

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

1/28/2025

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/28/2025

Patrick Joseph Kearney

4th Plymouth

1/28/2025

Tara T. Hong

18th Middlesex

1/29/2025

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

1/30/2025

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/30/2025

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Norfolk

1/30/2025

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

2/6/2025

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

2/6/2025

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

2/11/2025

Daniel Cahill

10th Essex

2/11/2025

Kevin G. Honan

17th Suffolk

2/27/2025

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

3/7/2025

Adrianne Pusateri Ramos

14th Essex

3/7/2025

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

3/14/2025

Jonathan D. Zlotnik

2nd Worcester

3/18/2025

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

3/18/2025

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

3/31/2025

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

3/31/2025

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

3/31/2025

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

4/9/2025

Thomas W. Moakley

Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

4/23/2025

Bridget Plouffe

9th Plymouth

5/14/2025

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

5/16/2025

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

11/20/2025

Kristin E. Kassner

2nd Essex

11/20/2025


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1243        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3524

By Representative MacGregor of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3524) of William F. MacGregor and others relative to the availability of private utility construction contracts.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3681 OF 2023-2024.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

 

An Act relative to transparency in private utility construction contracts.

 

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

Chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 76D the following section:-Section 76 E.(a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the following meanings:-

“Company,” a gas or distribution company

“Contract," any agreement for the procurement of services specified under subsection (b),regardless of what the parties call the agreement.

“Responsible Bidder,” a person who has the capability to perform fully the contract requirements, and the integrity and reliability which assures good faith performance.

“Score,” the quantities or qualitatively  rating or method utilized by the company to award a contract

(b) When entering into a contract in the amount of $100,000 or more for services related to the excavation or construction upon, along, or across any public way, each company shall be subject to this section.

(c) A company shall(1) within two business days after the decision has been made,inform any responsible bidder which submitted a bid of its decision in relation to the award of a contract, and shall do so by notice in writing by the most rapid means of communication possible; and (2)  post on their website (i)name of the contractor, (ii)location of project,(iii) duration of work.

(d) The written notice to each responsible bidder shall include (1) The criteria for the award of the contract; and (2) the score obtained by the responsible bidder; and (3) winning amount.

(e) Where there is only one response to a solicitation, a company need not comply with this section.

(f) A company may withhold any information to be provided in accordance with the section where disclosure of such information (1) would impede law enforcement,(2) would otherwise be contrary to the public interest, (3) would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of any responsible bidder; or (4) might interfere with competition between responsible bidders.

(g) The department shall be responsible for enforcing this section , and may promulgate regulations and issue orders it deems in the public interest regarding the procurement practices of companies.