{"id":6900,"date":"2017-06-01T19:56:52","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T23:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/?page_id=6900"},"modified":"2017-06-02T14:13:25","modified_gmt":"2017-06-02T18:13:25","slug":"ma-leg-2017","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/ma-leg-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Massachusetts Legislative Tracker 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Thousands of bills are filed each year in the Massachusetts legislature.  Every bill gets a hearing, but only very small number will be enacted into law.  Multiple bills on the same (or related) subject will frequently be combined during the legislative process.    <\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve selected some of the bills relevant to energy and sustainability in the table below.  Going forward, we will provide explanations and additional information on the bills, and will track their progress (or failure to progress) through the legislature.  We will add additional bills as we are able to evaluate them for relevance and potential.     <\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-7\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-7\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Bill Number<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Status Update<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Sponsor<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Title<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S2545\" target=\"_blank\">S.2545<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/06\/07 - Reported from Senate Ways and Means<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Pacheco (as S.2302)<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act to promote a clean energy future<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em; line-height: .8em;\">This is updated version of the Senate's <b>Omnibus Energy Bill<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H4575\" target=\"_blank\">H.4575<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n(Redraft of <a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H1747\" target=\"_blank\"> H.1747<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/06\/07  -  New draft  reported  favorably TUE and sent to House Ways &amp; Means<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Haddad (as H.1747)<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act to increase renewable energy and reduce high-cost peak hours <br \/><span style=\"font-size: .8em; line-height: .8em;\"> A proposed \"Clean Peak\" standard and an increase in the RPS.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H4577\" target=\"_blank\">H.4577<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n(Redraft of <a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H2712\" target=\"_blank\"> H.2712<\/a>)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/06\/07  -  New draft  reported  favorably TUE and sent to House Steering Policy &amp; Scheduling<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Smizik (as H2712)<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An act relative to net metering<br \/>\n<br \/><span style=\"font-size: .8em; line-height: .8em;\">Increases the public &amp; private net metering caps by <b>2%<\/b> each<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S2302\" target=\"_blank\">S.2302<\/a><br \/><span class=\"hilite\">Supserseded by S.2545<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/06\/07 - New draft of S.479 reported favorably as S.2545<\/span><br \/><span style=\"font-size: .8em; line-height: .8em;\">2018\/02\/14 - Reported from the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change, recommending passage.  S.2302 is a new draft for S.479, also based on Senate, Nos. 477, 478, changed and 1974 and House, No. 3994.<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Pacheco (as S.2302)<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act to promote a clean energy future<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em; line-height: .8em;\">This is the Senate's <b>Omnibus Energy Bill<\/b>.  Read a excellent <a href=\"https:\/\/cabaus.org\/2018\/02\/12\/senate-clean-energy-omnibus-bill\" target=\"_blank\">summary of S.2303 <\/a> by Tim Cronin, a Policy Associate at the Climate Action Business Association.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H4234\" target=\"_blank\">S.1878<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/02\/15 - New draft superseding H.2121 &amp; S.424 reported favorably <\/span> by Environment, Natural Resources &amp; Agriculature Committee and sent to House Ways &amp; Means<\/span><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Eldridge, Ehrlich &amp; co-sponsors<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act reducing plastic bag pollution.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1821\" target=\"_blank\">S.1821<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/02\/08<\/span> - Discharged from TUE to the committee on Senate Global Warming and Climate Change.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Barrett<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act combating climate change<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em;\">Establishes an economy-wide price on carbon that begins at $10\/ton and increases to $40\/ton, with the proceeds  to be rebated to residents and employers.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1876\" target=\"_blank\">S.1876<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/02\/07<\/span> - Reporting date extended to Friday March 9, 2018.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Pacheco<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act relative to enhancing RPS standards<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em;\">The Renewable Portfolio Standard is the most important driver of the transition to clean electricity .<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1841\" target=\"_blank\">S.1841<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2018\/02\/07<\/span> - Reporting date extended to Friday March 9, 2018.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Donoghue<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act expediting the transition to a renewable energy portfolio<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-10\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1878\" target=\"_blank\">S.1878<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/10\/03<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Pacheco<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act relative to solar mobility systems<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-11\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1873\" target=\"_blank\">S.1873<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/09\/26<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Pacheco<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act relative to solar siting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-12\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1849\" target=\"_blank\">S.1849<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/09\/19<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Eldridge<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act transitioning Massachusetts to 100 percent renewable energy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-13\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H3392\" target=\"_blank\">H.3392<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/06\/20<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Cusack<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act relative to establishing standard interconnection timelines for distributed generation facilities<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-14\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/H1726\" target=\"_blank\">S.1726<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/06\/20<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Benson<br \/>\n<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act to promote green infrastructure, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create jobs<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em;\">Establishes an economy-wide price on carbon beginning at $20\/ton, increasing $5 per year until reaching $40\/ton.  20% of the proceeds would be allocated to a \"green infrastructure\" fund, with the other 80% rebated to customers.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-15\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1869\" target=\"_blank\">S.1869<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/06\/20<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Pacheco<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act to protect our environment and lower our carbon footprint.<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em;\">Adds the option of an economy-wide price on carbon to the mechanisms by which mandated GHG emissions can be achieved.  Requires EoEEA to establish a carbon pricing mechanism if 2020 GHG emissions targets are not met. <\/span><br \/>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-16\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/malegislature.gov\/Bills\/190\/S1834\" target=\"_blank\">S.1834<\/a><\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><span class=\"hilite\">2017\/05\/02<\/span> - Heard by TUE.  No action since.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Cyr<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">An Act for community empowerment<br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: .8em;\">Would allow municipalities, with Town Meeting approval, to contract with a developer to build a renewable energy project.  The net financial benefit would pass through to the residents in the cost of electricity.  Residents would automatically participate unless they chose to opt out.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-7 from cache -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thousands of bills are filed each year in the Massachusetts legislature. Every bill gets a hearing, but only very small number will be enacted into law. Multiple bills on the same (or related) subject will frequently be combined during the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6900","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6900"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6900\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}