Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H334 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 420 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 334
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Tackey Chan and Michael O. Moore
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 investigating the economic impact of certain Massachusetts laws.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk1/9/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester1/9/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 420 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 334
18	18	By Representative Chan of Quincy and Senator Moore, a joint petition (accompanied by bill,
19	19	House, No. 334) of Tackey Chan and Michael O. Moore for legislation to establish a special
20	20	commission (including members of the General Court) to investigate the potential for beneficial
21	21	economic impact from minimum pricing laws. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 263 OF 2023-2024.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act investigating the economic impact of certain Massachusetts laws.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there is hereby created
33	33	2a commission that shall investigate the potential for beneficial economic impact from the
34	34	3Commonwealth’s minimum pricing laws and determine, if appropriate, whether certain
35	35	4minimum pricing should be adjusted to better assist small businesses within the Commonwealth.
36	36	5 (b) The commission shall consist of the secretary of the executive office of administration
37	37	6and finance or his designee; the director of the department of agriculture or his designee; the
38	38	7treasurer or her designee; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on revenue, who
39	39	8shall co-chair the commission; a representative of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts; a
40	40	9representative of the National Federation of Independent Business Massachusetts; a 2 of 3
41	41	10representative appointed by the Governor from each of the industries currently impacted by
42	42	11minimum pricing laws, including the dairy, alcohol and tobacco industries; an individual an
43	43	12individual with an expertise in finance or consumer economics; a representative of a statewide
44	44	13public health organization engaged in tobacco cessation efforts; a representative of a statewide
45	45	14public health organization engaged in alcohol cessation or recovery efforts; a representative of a
46	46	15wholesaler engaged in the distribution of tobacco, alcohol or dairy products and a representative
47	47	16of the New England's Convenience Stores and Energy Marketers as appointed by the Governor.
48	48	17The commission shall adopt rules and establish procedures it considers necessary for the conduct
49	49	18of its business. No action of the commission shall be considered official unless approved by a
50	50	19majority vote of the commission members.
51	51	20 (c) In the course of its investigation, the commission shall: (1) examine the minimum
52	52	21pricing laws in existence in the Commonwealth; (2) examine the minimum pricing laws in
53	53	22existence in the Commonwealth’s neighboring states, if any; (3) provide an analysis of the
54	54	23impact of the Commonwealth’s minimum pricing laws on the cost and price of products so
55	55	24regulated; (4) provide an analysis of the impact of the neighboring states’ minimum pricing laws
56	56	25on the cost and price of products so regulated; and (5) develop recommendations as to whether
57	57	26certain of the Commonwealth’s minimum pricing laws should be adjusted to assist small
58	58	27businesses within the Commonwealth.
59	59	28 (d) The commission may hold public hearings to assist in the collection and evaluation of
60	60	29data and testimony.
61	61	30 (e) Any research, analysis or other staff support that the commission reasonably requires
62	62	31shall be provided by the executive office of administration and finance and its agencies. 3 of 3
63	63	32 (f) The commission shall prepare a written report detailing its findings and
64	64	33recommendations, together with drafts of legislation, as may be necessary to carry those
65	65	34recommendations into effect. The commission shall submit its initial report to the governor, the
66	66	35secretary of the executive office of administration and finance, the clerks of the senate and house
67	67	36of representatives, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the
68	68	37joint committee on revenue not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act.