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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 40 FILED ON: 1/6/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 348
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Lydia Edwards
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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 providing in-district transportation funding.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Lydia EdwardsThird SuffolkAngelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden3/5/2025Vanna Howard17th Middlesex3/5/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk3/5/2025Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester3/5/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol3/5/2025Mike Connolly26th Middlesex3/5/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex3/5/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester3/5/2025 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 40 FILED ON: 1/6/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 348
By Ms. Edwards, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 348) of Lydia Edwards, Angelo J.
Puppolo, Jr., Vanna Howard, Michael D. Brady and other members of the General Court for
legislation to provide in-district transportation funding for students. Education.
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 providing in-district transportation funding.
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 71B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following section:-
3 Section 14. The state treasurer shall annually, on or before November 20th, reimburse
4any city, town, regional school district or independent vocational school for expenditures
5incurred during the previous fiscal year in the transportation of pupils enrolled in special
6education programs, in the manner hereinafter defined, provided that such transportation services
7are required by the individual educational plan of each such pupil, that such services are not
8normally provided to pupils enrolled in regular day program in said city, town, regional school
9district or independent vocational school, and that the expenditures for such services are not
10eligible for reimbursement under section 5A of this chapter. Such reimbursement shall include:
11first, an amount for each such pupil enrolled in a special education program which is equal to the
12average transportation services expenditure per pupil enrolled in regular day program in said 2 of 3
13city, town, regional school district or independent vocational school during said fiscal year; and
14second, the entire amount by which each of the average transportation services expenditures per
15pupil enrolled in each special education program prototype, as defined in regulations
16promulgated under this chapter, in said city, town, regional school district or independent
17vocational school during said fiscal year may exceed the aforesaid average transportation
18services expenditure per pupil enrolled in regular day program. In no instance, however, shall the
19amount of reimbursement for such excess cost within such special education program prototype
20exceed one hundred and ten per cent of the averages of such excess costs in all cities, towns,
21regional school districts and independent vocational schools during the fiscal year in which such
22expenditures were made.
23 In determining each said average transportation services expenditure per pupil enrolled in
24regular day program in each city, town, regional school district and independent vocational
25school, the department of elementary and secondary education shall use the transportation
26services expenditure per pupil eligible for reimbursement under sections 7 A, 7B or 16C of
27chapter 71, whichever is higher, during the same fiscal year. The commissioner of elementary
28and secondary education may, by regulation, under the direction of the state board of elementary
29and secondary education, further define the expenditures per pupil to be used in aforesaid
30computations.
31 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, reimbursements
32authorized under section 14 of chapter 71B of the general laws, as inserted by this act, shall be
33made in accordance with the following funding schedule: (i) not less than 25 per cent of the total
34eligible state obligation in fiscal year 2026; (ii) not less than 50 per cent of the total eligible state
35obligation in fiscal year 2027; (iii) not less than 75 per cent of the total eligible state obligation in 3 of 3
36fiscal year 2028; and (iv) not less than 100 per cent of the total eligible state obligation in fiscal
37year 2029 and in subsequent fiscal years.
38 SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, reimbursements
39authorized under section 7A of chapter 71 of the general laws shall be made in accordance with
40the following funding schedule: (i) not less than 25 per cent of the total eligible state obligation
41in fiscal year 2026; (ii) not less than 50 per cent of the total eligible state obligation in fiscal year
422027; (iii) not less than 75 per cent of the total eligible state obligation in fiscal year 2028; and
43(iv) not less than 100 per cent of the total eligible state obligation in fiscal year 2029 and in
44subsequent fiscal years.