HD 170 – Summary of Bill
Purpose and intent
- HD 170 is a proposed bill framed as a communication from the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to the Legislature. It directs or acknowledges the submission of the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) Trust Fund report detailing the fund’s financial activities for a specific time period.
- The authority for this reporting obligation comes from Section 12Q of Chapter 25 of the General Laws.
Key provisions
- The bill requires the Department of Public Utilities to submit to the Legislature a communication that includes the Energy Facilities Siting Board Trust Fund report of the fund’s financial activities.
- Timeframe covered by the report: November 22, 2023 through November 4, 2024.
- The communication is to be submitted under the statutory framework of Section 12Q of Chapter 25 of the General Laws. No appropriation or new programmatic authority is described in the provided text; the focus is on reporting and transparency.
Who is affected
- Department of Public Utilities (DPU): Responsible for preparing and submitting the required communication and the EF SB Trust Fund report.
- Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) and its Trust Fund: The subject of the report; the fund’s financial activities during the stated period will be summarized.
- The Legislature: Receives the report as part of its oversight and public accountability functions.
- Possibly fund administrators and related stakeholders who oversee or monitor the EFSB Trust Fund’s finances.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Introduced: January 13, 2025.
- Status: Placed on file (no further action indicated in the current record).
- Legislative action to date: 2025-01-13: Placed on file.
- As a “communication” in the form of a proposed bill, the primary effect is to formalize the submission of the required financial report; no new statutes or funding changes are described beyond the reporting obligation.
- If enacted or further acted upon, the DPU would presumably prepare the report and transmit the communication to the Legislature per the cited authority.
Fiscal and policy implications
- The bill appears to have a transparency/oversight role rather than a policy or funding change.
- It does not specify new expenditures, appropriations, or programmatic changes; the financial impact would align with existing reporting requirements and the administrative process for compiling the Trust Fund report.
Overall, HD 170 codifies a reporting obligation to ensure the Legislature receives the Energy Facilities Siting Board Trust Fund’s financial activities for the specified period, reflecting ongoing financial accountability.
