Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3658 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. 1177 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3658
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Todd M. Smola
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 establishing a special commission on micro-transit.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire1/14/2025Todd M. Smola1st Hampden1/15/2025Natalie M. Blais1st Franklin1/25/2025Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and Worcester1/23/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1177 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3658
18	18	By Representatives Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield and Smola of Warren, a petition (accompanied
19	19	by bill, House, No. 3658) of Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Todd M. Smola and others for an
20	20	investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to
21	21	existing and emerging micro-transit services. Transportation.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act establishing a special commission on micro-transit.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. (a) There shall be a special commission on micro-transit to study existing
31	31	2and emerging micro-transit services in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and funding to: (i)
32	32	3benchmark different types of micro-transit operating models, including those operated by a
33	33	4regional transit authority and those operated by other entities, various types of micro-transit
34	34	5services, and populations dependent upon these services; (ii) assess funding sources and current
35	35	6limitations or outstanding funding needs related to offering micro-transit services in regions
36	36	7across the Commonwealth; and (iii) define micro-transit services for the purposes of determining
37	37	8eligibility for state funding; (iv) estimate annual state funding needed to support existing and
38	38	9emerging micro-transit services across the Commonwealth and propose a mechanism and
39	39	10frequency for reassessing such state funding estimate to account for changes in micro-transit
40	40	11needs and opportunities in the future; and (v) to explore micro-transit as a way to close mobility 2 of 3
41	41	12gaps, enhance connectivity across existing transit services, and address inequities in
42	42	13transportation access for certain geographies and populations.
43	43	14 (b) The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the house
44	44	15and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation who shall serve as co-chairs; 1
45	45	16member of the house of representatives, who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
46	46	17house of representatives; 1 member of the senate, who shall be appointed by the minority leader
47	47	18of the senate; 2 persons to be appointed by the Massachusetts Association of Regional Transit
48	48	19Authorities, both of whom shall be former or current administrators of a regional transit authority
49	49	20and 1 of whom represents a regional transit authority that serves rural communities and 1 of
50	50	21whom represents a regional transit authority that has offered micro-transit services; 1 person to
51	51	22be appointed by the Massachusetts Statewide Independent Living Council; 1 person representing
52	52	23the rail and transit division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; 2 persons
53	53	24representing existing or emerging micro-transit service operated by an entity that is not a
54	54	25regional transit authority; 1 person representing the Massachusetts Department of Transportation
55	55	26Mobility Assistance Program; 1 person representing the Rural Policy Advocacy Commission; 1
56	56	27person representing the Massachusetts Public Health Association; 1 person representing
57	57	28Transportation for Massachusetts; 1 person representing the Massachusetts Councils on Aging;
58	58	29and 2 persons to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a
59	59	30municipality sponsoring or operating a micro-transit service and 1 of whom shall be a
60	60	31representative of a health care organization whose patients and employees are served by micro-
61	61	32transit.
62	62	33 (c) The commission shall file a final report of its study and recommendations with the
63	63	34clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the house and senate committees on ways and 3 of 3
64	64	35means, the joint committee on transportation and the secretary of transportation not later than 15
65	65	36months after this section takes effect; provided, however, that the commission may make a draft
66	66	37report available to the public for comment before filing its final report.