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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3417 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3373
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Adrian C. Madaro
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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 low income transit fares.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk1/20/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk1/25/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/25/2023Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk1/25/2023Kate Donaghue19th Worcester1/30/2023Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/13/2023Mary S. Keefe15th Worcester2/13/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex2/13/2023Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk2/13/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/13/2023James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/13/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/15/2023Peter Capano11th Essex2/15/2023Christopher J. Worrell5th Suffolk2/21/2023Daniel Cahill10th Essex2/21/2023Kate Lipper-Garabedian32nd Middlesex2/24/2023Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk3/6/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3417 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3373
By Representative Madaro of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3373) of
Adrian C. Madaro and others for legislation to authorize discounted transit fares for low income
riders. Transportation.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to low income transit fares.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
2Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, in coordination with the secretary of health and
3human services, shall implement a low-income fare program that provides free or discounted
4transit fares to qualifying riders on all modes of transportation operated by the authority.
5 (b) In developing the low-income fare program, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation
6Authority shall develop a stakeholder engagement plan and implementation analysis. The
7engagement plan shall ensure engagement with relevant stakeholders and provide opportunities
8for public input in geographically-diverse service areas of the authority. The analysis shall
9include, but not be limited to, an examination of: (i) the number of riders anticipated to benefit
10from the program; (ii) the average reductions of each fare, by mode; (iii) the overall impact on
11revenue to the system; (iv) partnership models for determining eligibility requirements and the
12verification method; and (v) estimated costs associated with the administration and marketing of 2 of 2
13the program. The implementation analysis shall be filed with the clerks of the senate and house
14of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee
15on transportation not later than October 15, 2023.
16 SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the regional
17transit authority council established in section 27 of chapter 161B of the General Laws, in
18coordination with the secretary of health and human services, may provide each regional transit
19authority with assistance to implement a low-income fare program that provides free or
20discounted transit fares to qualifying riders on all modes of transportation operated by each
21authority.
22 (b) In developing the low-income fare program, each regional transit authority shall
23develop a stakeholder engagement plan and an implementation analysis. The engagement plan
24shall ensure engagement with relevant stakeholders and provide opportunities for public input in
25geographically-diverse service areas of the authority. The analysis shall include, but not be
26limited to, an examination of: (i) the number of riders anticipated to benefit from the program;
27(ii) the average reduction of each fare, by mode; (iii) the overall impact on revenue to the system;
28(iv) partnership models for determining eligibility requirements and the verification method; (v)
29any estimated costs associated with the administration and marketing of the program; and (vi)
30consideration of a no-fare option if that would be cheaper to implement than a means-tested fare
31program.