HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2731        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Natalie M. Blais

_________________

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 expanding community access to electric bicycles.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2731        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3145 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

An Act expanding community access to electric bicycles.

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

Chapter 25A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 11J. The commonwealth community access to electric bicycles grant initiative

(a) The department of energy resources shall establish the commonwealth community access to electric bicycles grant initiative  to help finance bike share programs and ownership programs that municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations administer.

(b) A local municipality, business, or nonprofit organization awarded money under the grant initiative may use the money to purchase and maintain electric bicycles, equipment, and infrastructure for its bike share program or ownership program, pay labor costs related to implementation of the program, and cover the direct and indirect administrative costs that the local municipality, business, nonprofit organization, or a third-party contractor incurs in implementing the program.

(c) To be eligible to apply for money under the grant initiative, a municipality, business, or nonprofit organization must administer themselves, or contract with a third party to administer, a bike share program using a fleet of electric bicycles, or an ownership program offering an electric bicycle to a specific individual or household.

(d) In administering the grant initiative, the department of energy resources shall establish an application process for local municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to apply for the money under the grant initiative. The department of energy resources shall develop criteria for awarding grant money; giving priority to local municipalities, businesses, and nonprofit organizations offering a program in one or more environmental justice or disproportionately impacted communities.

(e) The department of energy resources shall require that local municipalities, businesses, or nonprofit organizations provide at least a certain percentage of matching money for the initiative.

(f) The department of energy resources shall develop periodic reporting requirements for a grantee to demonstrate that the money awarded is being used in compliance with the purposes of this section, as well as procedures for addressing a grantee’s noncompliance with this section, including procedures for reimbursement of money awarded.

(g) The department of energy resources may use up to ten percent of the money in the fund to cover its direct and indirect costs incurred in administering the grant initiative in this section.