Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2306 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 126 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2306
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	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 relative to smart meters.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Michael O. MooreSecond WorcesterRyan C. FattmanWorcester and Hampden2/25/2025Estela A. Reyes4th Essex3/3/2025 1 of 4
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 126 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2306
18	18	By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2306) of Michael O. Moore, Ryan C.
19	19	Fattman and Estela A. Reyes for legislation relative to utility meters and the rights of utility
20	20	ratepayers. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 2152 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to smart meters.
29	29	Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to
30	30	maintain public health, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the
31	31	immediate preservation of the public health.
32	32	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
33	33	of the same, as follows:
34	34	1 Chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby
35	35	2amended by inserting after section 116B the following section:-
36	36	3 SECTION 116C: Smart/wireless utility meter information
37	37	4 a) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
38	38	5 (1) “Electromechanical analog meter”, means a purely electric and mechanical device,
39	39	6using no electronic components, no switch mode power supply, no transmitter, no antenna, and
40	40	7no radio frequency emissions. 2 of 4
41	41	8 (2) “Utility company”, shall mean an electric, gas, or water company, or town or city-
42	42	9owned utility or other utility provider.
43	43	10 (3) “Wireless meter” shall mean: Any transmitting metering device with electronic
44	44	11components and/or any electric or battery operated meter that is capable of measuring, recording,
45	45	12and sending data by means of a wireless signal from a utility consumer or member to a utility
46	46	13company, municipality, or cooperative association in a manner utilizing one-way
47	47	14communication, two-way communication, or a combination of one-way and two-way
48	48	15communication either through the meter itself or through a device ancillary to the meter.
49	49	16Common names include, but are not limited to, AMR, ERT, smart, AMI, and Comprehensive
50	50	17Advanced Metering Plan CAMP.
51	51	18 (4) “Equivalent technology” shall mean utility infrastructure that communicates data
52	52	19using wireless frequencies, but which may be undisclosed due to proprietary rights.
53	53	20 b) The department of public utilities shall direct utility companies to provide ratepayers
54	54	21the following:
55	55	22 (1) a choice of the type of utility meters to be installed and operated on their places of
56	56	23residence, property or business; among the choices offered shall be the installation and ongoing
57	57	24operation of an "electromechanical analog meter"; and
58	58	25 (2) the ability to retain and operate an “electromechanical analog meter” on an ongoing
59	59	26basis at no cost; and
60	60	27 (3) the right to replacement of a wireless meter with a non-transmitting electromechanical
61	61	28meter at no cost. 3 of 4
62	62	29 c) The utility companies shall be required to obtain the ratepayer’s written consent:
63	63	30 (1) before installing wireless meters or "equivalent technology" on the ratepayer’s
64	64	31property and
65	65	32 (2) before altering the functionality of said meters.
66	66	33 d) The utility companies shall provide written notice to ratepayers within 90 days of the
67	67	34effective date of this act for the purpose of informing said ratepayers if wireless meters have
68	68	35been installed on their properties. Ratepayers shall have the right to request that the utility
69	69	36companies remove said wireless meters and install in their place electromechanical analog
70	70	37meters that emit no radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation. There shall be no cost or other
71	71	38periodic usage charges to the ratepayer for such removal, replacement installation, and use of a
72	72	39non-wireless utility meter. The utility company shall promptly comply with such removal and
73	73	40replacement installation request made by the ratepayer to said company.
74	74	41 e) Utility companies are:
75	75	42 (1) prohibited from shutting off service to a ratepayer based on the ratepayer’s utility
76	76	43usage or on the ratepayer having electromechanical analog meters;
77	77	44 (2) prohibited from imposing any disincentive on a ratepayer for not consenting to the
78	78	45installation or use of wireless meters;
79	79	46 (3) required to notify ratepayers in writing that the installation and use of wireless meters
80	80	47are not mandated by state or federal law and are not permitted without the ratepayer’s consent;
81	81	48 (4) prohibited from discriminating against ratepayers who may have medical conditions
82	82	49that are exacerbated by exposures to pulsed microwave radio frequencies; and 4 of 4
83	83	50 (5) prohibited from installing "equivalent technology", such as direct wireless connection
84	84	51to devices in the home or business, on poles or in any other manner near the home or business of
85	85	52an individual requesting a non-transmitting meter.
86	86	53 f) The department of public utilities shall establish terms and conditions to comply with
87	87	54the requirements of this section.
88	88	55 g) This section shall take effect upon its passage.