1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1204 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2303
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Walter F. Timilty
_________________
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 the expansion of the commuter rail and ferry low-income fare program.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Walter F. TimiltyNorfolk, Plymouth and Bristol 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1204 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2303
By Mr. Timilty, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2303) of Walter F. Timilty for
legislation to expand the commuter rail and ferry low-income fare program. Transportation.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2386 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to the expansion of the commuter rail and ferry low-income fare program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts
2Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Executive Office of Health and Human
3Services, shall conduct a study of the impacts, benefits, and costs of a low-income fare program
4for the commuter rail and ferry, that provides reduced or discounted transit fares to qualifying
5riders between the ages of 25 – 65. The study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination
6of (i) number of riders who would benefit from the program, (ii) number of riders within each
7zone who would benefit from the program, (iii) the average reduction of each fare by mode, (iii)
8overall impact on fare revenue, (iv) models for determining eligibility requirements and the
9verification method, (v) improved methods for advertising existing reduced fare programs and
10the potential expansion under this study to the general public. The report shall examine the
11potential for the Department of Transitional Assistance to inform individuals who qualify for 2 of 2
12MassHealth that they qualify for reduced fare programs under the Massachusetts Bay Transit
13Authority. The report shall be filed with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the
14senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on transportation no
15later than July 31, 2023.