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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4162 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3637
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Mike Connolly
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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 implementing free public transit.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Mike Connolly26th Middlesex1/17/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4162 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3637
By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3637) of
Mike Connolly relative to implementing free public transit. Transportation.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3287 OF 2023-2024.]
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 implementing free public transit.
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. Chapter 10 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
2section 35PPP the following section:-
3 Section 35QQQ. (a) There shall be set upon the books of the commonwealth a separate
4fund to be known as the Public Transportation Affordability Fund to be administered by the
5Massachusetts Department of Transportation. There shall be credited to the fund: (i) amounts
6collected pursuant to clause (v) of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of section 39 of chapter 63; (ii)
7all revenues or other financing sources directed to the fund by appropriation, including revenues
8collected pursuant to Article CXXI of the Massachusetts Constitution; and (iii) any income
9derived from the investing of all amounts credited to the fund. Monies credited to the fund may
10be expended by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to the Massachusetts Bay 2 of 3
11Transportation Authority established pursuant to section 2 of chapter 161A, and regional transit
12authorities, established pursuant to section 3 of chapter 161B, without further appropriation, for
13the purpose of funding free public transportation services.
14 (b) The department shall annually file a report with the governor, clerks of the house of
15representatives and the senate and the joint committee on transportation detailing the activity of
16the fund.
17 SECTION 2. Paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of section 39 of chapter 63 of the General
18Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the words “or (iv) for tax years
19beginning on or after January 1, 2012, 8.0 per cent of its net income determined to be taxable in
20accordance with this chapter” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- (iv) for tax
21years beginning on or after January 1, 2012, 8.0 per cent of its net income determined to be
22taxable in accordance with this chapter; or (v) for tax years beginning on or after January 1,
232025, 8.75 per cent of its net income determined to be taxable in accordance with this chapter;
24provided, however, that an amount equal to 0.75 per cent of the business corporation’s net
25income determined to be taxable pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Public
26Transportation Affordability Fund.
27 SECTION 3. Chapter 161A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
28following 2 sections:-
29 Section 53. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the authority shall
30not collect a fare from riders for the use of bus transportation services. 3 of 3
31 Section 54. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the authority shall
32not collect a fare from riders for the use of rapid transit, light rail or commuter rail transportation
33services.
34 SECTION 4. Chapter 161B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
35following section:-
36 Section 28. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no regional transit
37authority shall collect a fare from riders for the use of bus transportation services.