Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2216 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 998 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2216
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Brendan P. Crighton
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to tolls on the roadways of the commonwealth.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Brendan P. CrightonThird Essex 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 998 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2216
18	18	By Mr. Crighton, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2216) of Brendan P. Crighton for
19	19	legislation relative to tolls on the roadways of the commonwealth. Transportation.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE SENATE, NO. 2294 OF 2021-2022.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to tolls on the roadways of the commonwealth.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 3 of Chapter 6C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
31	31	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, the words "fix and revise from time to time
32	32	3and charge and collect tolls for transit over the metropolitan highway system and the turnpike",
33	33	4the first time they appear, and inserting in place thereof the following:- “charge and collect tolls
34	34	5for transit over the metropolitan highway system and the turnpike; said toll rates shall not be
35	35	6increased from the rates in place on January 1, 2023”.
36	36	7 SECTION 2. Subsection (a) of Section 13 of said Chapter 6C is hereby amended by
37	37	8striking out, in line 2 the words "fix and revise" and by inserting in place thereof the following:-
38	38	9“reduce the”. 2 of 3
39	39	10 SECTION 3. Said subsection (a) of said Section 13 of said Chapter 6C is hereby further
40	40	11amended by striking out, in lines 5 to 14, inclusive, the words "Such tolls shall be so fixed and
41	41	12adjusted as to provide, at a minimum, funds sufficient with other revenues, if any, to pay: (i)
42	42	13costs incurred in furtherance of this chapter related to the turnpike including, but not limited to,
43	43	14the cost of owning, maintaining, repairing, reconstructing, improving, rehabilitating, policing,
44	44	15using, administering, controlling and operating the turnpike; and (ii) the principal of, redemption
45	45	16premium, if any, and the interest on notes or bonds relating to the turnpike as the same shall
46	46	17become due and payable and to create and maintain reserves established for any of the
47	47	18department’s corporate purposes.”
48	48	19 SECTION 4. Subsection (b) of said Section 13 of said Chapter 6C is hereby amended by
49	49	20striking out, in line 44, the words "fix and revise" and by inserting in place thereof the
50	50	21following:- “reduce the”.
51	51	22 SECTION 5. Said subsection (b) of said Section 13 of said Chapter 6C is hereby further
52	52	23amended by striking out, in lines 47 to 58, inclusive, the words "Such tolls shall be so fixed and
53	53	24adjusted as to provide, at a minimum, funds sufficient with other revenues, if any, to pay: (i)
54	54	25costs incurred in furtherance of this chapter related to the metropolitan highway system
55	55	26including, but not limited to, the cost of owning, maintaining, repairing, reconstructing,
56	56	27improving, rehabilitating, policing, using, administering, controlling and operating the turnpike;
57	57	28and (ii) the principal of, redemption premium, if any, and the interest on notes or bonds relating
58	58	29to the metropolitan highway system as the same shall become due and payable and to create and
59	59	30maintain reserves established for any of the department’s corporate purposes.” 3 of 3
60	60	31 SECTION 6. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
61	61	32Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall study and report on the feasibility of
62	62	33establishing all-electric tolling along state and interstate highways of the Commonwealth that are
63	63	34not currently subject to a toll. The report shall examine the several options available to the
64	64	35commonwealth to pursue additional tolls, including, but not limited to: (i) placement of all-
65	65	36electronic tolling gantries on roads in the Commonwealth that are not currently tolled; (ii)
66	66	37seeking a federal waiver for the placement of border tolls; (iii) reaching interstate or regional
67	67	38agreements for the placement of additional tolls; and (iv) the commonwealth’s ability to establish
68	68	39border tolls in the event of proposed changes to federal law on interstate highway tolling. The
69	69	40department shall file its report along with any legislative recommendations with the house and
70	70	41senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on transportation on or before
71	71	42December 31, 2023.