Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3556 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. 2253 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3556
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jeffrey N. Roy
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 current and future electric rates.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jeffrey N. Roy10th Norfolk1/15/2025Danielle W. Gregoire4th Middlesex2/18/2025Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/23/2025Mark D. Sylvia10th Bristol3/4/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2253 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3556
18	18	By Representative Roy of Franklin, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3556) of Jeffrey
19	19	N. Roy and others for an investigation by a task force (including members of the General Court)
20	20	relative to the current and future cost of electricity. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act relative to current and future electric rates.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. There shall be established a Task Force on electric rates to advise the
30	30	2Legislature, the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and the
31	31	3Administration on the current and future cost of electricity in Massachusetts.
32	32	4 SECTION 2. The Task Force shall be chaired by the Attorney General and shall include
33	33	5the following members: the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs or a designee; the
34	34	6Commissioner of the Department of Energy Resources or a designee; one representative from
35	35	7each investor-owned electric utility with a combined service territory of more than 100,000 retail
36	36	8and commercial customers; one representative from ISO – New England: one representative
37	37	9from the Department of Public Utilities: the House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on
38	38	10Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy: two individuals knowledgeable about electric rates
39	39	11appointed by the Speaker of the House and two individuals knowledgeable about electricity rates 2 of 3
40	40	12appointed by the Senate President: The Attorney General shall assign such staff and resources
41	41	13necessary for the work of the task force.
42	42	14 All meetings of the Task Force shall be public and have an opportunity for public
43	43	15comment.
44	44	16 SECTION 3. The Task Force shall convene within 30 days of the adoption of this Act.
45	45	17and produce a report which shall 1) identify each cost component that comprises the electric bill
46	46	18of residential and commercial customers of each investor owned Electric Distribution Company
47	47	19in Massachusetts with a combined service territory of more than 100,000 retail and commercial
48	48	20customers; 2) include the total revenue raised statewide from each cost component separated by
49	49	21utility and customer class; 3) the current total cost to each customer class on a kWh basis and
50	50	22monthly basis for typical user in each rate class; 4) the annual rate increase for each cost
51	51	23component for the previous 10 years and the projected annual rate increases or range of rate
52	52	24increases expected over the next five years. Said report shall compare such individual rate
53	53	25components to current and projected rate components of all other New England states and at
54	54	26least three other states considered to be economic competitors of the Commonwealth.
55	55	27 As part of the identification under Item 1 in this section, the report shall include the date
56	56	28of origin and purpose of each cost component and whether said cost components are related to
57	57	29electric utility distribution costs, regional transmission costs or energy supply costs and if the
58	58	30cost components were added as a result of compliance with meeting greenhouse gas reduction
59	59	31goals as specified in Chapter 21N Section 3, of Mass General laws. Item 1 shall also include and
60	60	32identify any cost components that are expected to be added to ratepayer bills over the next ten
61	61	33years. 3 of 3
62	62	34 For purposes of Items 2, 3, and 4 cost components may be combined if they serve a
63	63	35similar purpose provided they are not currently listed separately on a customer bill or necessary
64	64	36to meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals as specified in Chapter 21N Section 3, of Mass
65	65	37General laws.
66	66	38 SECTION 4. Said report of the Task Force shall be made available for public comment
67	67	39for 30 days not later than 9 months from the convening of the Task Force. Changes shall be
68	68	40made to the report based on public comment, if applicable, as determined by the Task Force. A
69	69	41final report shall be conveyed to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, President of
70	70	42the Senate, Clerks of the House and Senate and the Members of the Joint Committee on
71	71	43Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy within 30 days of the closing of public comment
72	72	44closing.