HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4133        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David Biele

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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 fares for veterans.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4133        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to fares for veterans.

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.  (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in coordination with the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services, shall conduct a study of the impacts, benefits, and costs of a reduced fare program for veterans that provides reduced or discounted transit fares to qualifying riders.

(b) In developing the study, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority shall develop a stakeholder engagement plan and implementation analysis. The engagement plan shall ensure engagement with relevant stakeholders and provide opportunities for public input in geographically-diverse service areas of the authority. The analysis shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of: (i) the number of riders anticipated to benefit from the program; (ii) the average reductions of each fare, by mode; (iii) the overall impact on revenue to the system; (iv) partnership models for determining eligibility requirements and the verification method; and (v) estimated costs associated with the administration and marketing of the program. The implementation analysis 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 not later than October 15, 2026.

SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the regional transit authority council established in section 27 of chapter 161B of the General Laws, in coordination with the secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services, may provide each regional transit authority with assistance to implement a fare program for veterans that provides free or discounted transit fares to qualifying riders on all modes of transportation operated by each authority.

(b) In developing fare program for veterans, each regional transit authority shall develop a stakeholder engagement plan and an implementation analysis. The engagement plan shall ensure engagement with relevant stakeholders and provide opportunities for public input in geographically-diverse service areas of the authority. The analysis shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of: (i) the number of riders anticipated to benefit from the program; (ii) the average reduction of each fare, by mode; (iii) the overall impact on revenue to the system;  (iv) partnership models for determining eligibility requirements and the verification method; (v) any estimated costs associated with the administration and marketing of the program; and (vi) consideration of a no-fare option if that would be cheaper to implement.