{"AmendmentNumber":"59","ParentBillNumber":"S3143","Bill":null,"Sponsor":{"Id":"JJC0","Name":"John J. Cronin","Type":1,"Details":"https://malegislature.gov/api/GeneralCourts/194/LegislativeMembers/JJC0","ResponseDate":"2026-06-25T15:04:03.807"},"Category":null,"Action":"Rejected","RollCall":[],"Title":"Enhancing Consumer Protections","Branch":"Senate","RedraftNumber":null,"IsFurther":false,"GeneralCourtNumber":194,"Text":"Mr. Cronin moves that the proposed new text be amended by striking out section 100, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-\r\n\"SECTION 100. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a working group on residential solar consumer protection for the purposes of producing a comprehensive written assessment of, and proposing policy, legislative, or regulatory changes to improve the consumer experience between residential solar customers and potential customers and solar system manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, lenders and installers. The working group shall aim to facilitate affordable solar system adoption and improve system performance, customer satisfaction and consumer protection over the entire lifecycle of residential solar system products and contracts.\r\n(b) The working group shall be convened not later than 45 days after the effective date of this act and shall consist of: the attorney general or a designee, who shall serve as co-chair; the chair of the department of public utilities or a designee, who shall serve as cochair; the undersecretary of the office of consumer affairs and business regulation or a designee; the commissioner of the department of energy resources or a designee; 1 person to be appointed by the president of the senate; 1 person to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and 11 persons to be appointed by the governor, 3 of whom shall be selected from a list of persons submitted by each of the following organizations: (i) the National Consumer Law Center, Inc.; (ii) the Green Energy Consumers Alliance, Inc.; and (iii) the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts; 6 of whom shall be shall be selected from a list of persons submitted by each of the following organizations: (A) the Solar Energy Industries Association; (B) the Solar Energy Business Association of New England, Inc. and (C) Vote Solar, Inc.; and 2 persons with expertise in relevant aspects of law and finance. A vacancy on the working group shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. Members of the working group shall receive no compensation for their services.\r\n(c) The working group may request from all industry, nonprofit, academic and government sources such information and assistance as it may require. Its responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, (i) canvassing all public, nonprofit and for-profit sources to compile a comprehensive inventory of applicable laws, regulations, licenses, and other consumer protections that apply to residential and community solar products and (ii) assessing the sufficiency of information that is available and provided to consumers in publicly available educational materials, solar contracts, disclosure forms, or other applicable consumer-facing materials regarding topics including, but not limited to, net metering, solar and energy storage technologies, state programs and incentives, interconnection, and residential and community solar financial products; (iii) identifying common consumer issues related to the marketing and sales, financing, installation, monitoring and servicing, and repair or replacement of residential solar systems, or in the marketing and sales, contracting, and management of community solar agreements, and evaluate options for addressing those consumer issues, including whether regulatory or legislative changes would be necessary, feasible, and appropriate; (iv) developing recommendations for minimum contract and disclosure form requirements for residential and community solar contracts which may include, but are not limited to, disclosure of cost and payment terms, equipment, workmanship, and roof penetration warranties, maintenance and repair obligations, performance guarantees, consumer remedies in event of product or service deficiencies, participation in virtual power plant programs, and disclosure of fees that may be charged over the term of the agreement.\r\n(d) The working group shall meet at regular intervals and conduct not fewer than three public hearings in conveniently accessible locations throughout the commonwealth. The department of energy resources shall provide administrative support for the operations of the working group. The working group shall convene its first meeting not later than February 1, 2027, and shall submit a report, along with any recommendations for legislative and regulatory action at the state, regional and federal level, not later than January 31, 2028, to the governor, the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, and the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy.\"\r\n"}