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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2577 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3519
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Jack Patrick Lewis
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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 a feasibility report on solar rooftop energy on new buildings.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex1/16/2025Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex3/12/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex3/12/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2577 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3519
By Representative Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3519) of
Jack Patrick Lewis, Rodney M. Elliott and James C. Arena-DeRosa for an investigation and
study by a special commission to study the feasibility of authorizing the installation of rooftop
solar energy systems. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to a feasibility report on solar rooftop energy on new buildings.
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) There shall be established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the
2General Laws, a special legislative commission on solar rooftop energy on new buildings.
3 (b) The commission shall consist of 12 members: the commissioner of energy resources
4or a designee, and the following members to be appointed by the secretary of energy and
5environmental affairs: a representative of the commercial real estate sector; a representative of
6the residential real estate sector; a representative of the organized labor industry; a representative
7of the solar energy industry; a representative of an environmental group concerned with energy;
8a representative of the construction industry; a representative of an electric utility or organization
9representing electric utilities; a representative of local government; a person with expertise in
10energy siting; and a person with expertise in solar energy and energy efficiency. 2 of 2
11 (c) The commission shall conduct a thorough review of the policies and procedures
12related to solar energy systems, battery storage systems, and building construction pursuant to
13the base energy code, stretch energy code, and specialized stretch energy code established under
14section 6 of chapter 25A and sections 93 through 100 of chapter 143. The goals of the special
15commission shall be to submit a feasibility report on the requirement of solar energy system
16installations systems on new buildings. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the
17feasibility of allowing the installation of a rooftop solar energy system in new buildings (ii) the
18feasibility of an energy storage system in conjunction with solar energy systems (iii) how the the
19department of public utilities can provide services to advance the commonwealth’s goals under
20chapter 298 of the acts of 2008 and the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits under chapter
2121N of the General Laws; and (iv) recommendations, including, but not limited to, policy or
22legislative changes, related to solar energy system installations and battery storage systems on
23new buildings.
24 (d) The commission shall submit its report and recommendations, together with drafts of
25legislation to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerks of the
26house of representatives and the senate not later than January 1, 2026.