SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2607        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mark C. Montigny

_________________

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 resolve:

Resolve establishing a special commission to study the high cost of electricity delivery.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2607        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

Resolve establishing a special commission to study the high cost of electricity delivery.

Resolved, that notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary there shall be a special commission to study the costs of electricity delivery in the commonwealth, including but not limited to  (i) factors contributing to high delivery charges; (ii) recommended policies or regulations to reduce delivery charges and limit their future growth; (iii) policies, regulations, and other practices in jurisdictions outside of the commonwealth with consistently lower delivery costs than the commonwealth; (iv) trends likely to impact delivery charges in the long-term; and (v) strategies to proactively minimize future costs.

The special commission shall consist of: the secretary of the executive office of energy and environment affairs, or their designee, who will serve as chair; the chair of the commonwealth utilities commission, or their designee; the commissioner of energy resources or a designee; the attorney general, or their designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts clean energy technology center or a designee;  4 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be employed by an organization who advocates on the behalf of low- and middle-income residential consumers , 1 of whom shall be employed by an organization who advocates for municipal or regional interests, 1 of whom shall be a representative of distribution companies operating in Massachusetts, and 1 of whom shall be a representative of a chamber of commerce within the commonwealth; two members of the house of representatives, one of whom to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and the other to be appointed by the house minority leader; two members of the senate, one of whom to be appointed by the senate president, and the other to be appointed by the senate minority leader.

The special commission shall submit its findings and recommendations, together with any recommended drafts of legislation, to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy not later than December 31, 2025.