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S 2571

Increases the tax exemption for pensions and annuities for persons age fifty-nine and one-half or greater

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Simcha Felder and 1 co-sponsor

Creates the Nature for All Fund in MA to finance conservation, restoration, climate resilience, and public access; funded by redirected sales tax receipts; 15-member board.

RECOMMIT, ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN
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Bill Summary · S 2571

Summary — S.2571 (2025): “An Act providing nature for all” (text added to Ch. 29)

Note on metadata discrepancy
- The bill header provided lists a different title (an increase to the pension/annuity tax exemption). The full bill text and docketed actions below, however, enact a Massachusetts state law establishing a “nature for all fund” for conservation and related purposes. This summary follows the actual bill text.

Main purpose

Establish a dedicated “Nature for All Fund” in Chapter 29 of the Massachusetts General Laws to finance conservation, restoration and improved public access to natural and working lands. The fund is intended to support nature‑based climate solutions, biodiversity, drinking‑water and watershed protection, equitable access to parks and trails (especially in underserved communities), indigenous land restoration/access, and ongoing stewardship.

Key provisions

  • Creation of the Nature for All Fund (new Section 2EEEEEE, Ch. 29).
  • Permitted uses (expenditures by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, EOEEA):
    • Create/improve parks, greenspaces, trails and outdoor recreation access, with emphasis on underserved neighborhoods.
    • Conserve/restore land to protect drinking water and water quality.
    • Conserve/restore farms, forests and other lands to meet biodiversity, climate, resiliency and natural/working lands goals.
    • Conserve parcels to provide connectivity between open spaces.
    • Conserve and restore lands of Indigenous cultural significance and restore Indigenous access.
    • Provide ongoing stewardship, recreational access, and management.
  • Eligible recipients: municipalities, regional partnerships, regional planning bodies, watershed associations, land trusts, conservation organizations, state agencies, tribal authorities, and non‑profits.
  • Revenue source: monies credited to the fund from Commonwealth sales/use tax (chapter 64H) receipts classified under specified NAICS codes (459110, 441210, 713910), with successor codes allowed if classifications change. Amounts credited are net of existing dedicated transfers (e.g., MBTA and school modernization transfers). The fund may also accept gifts, grants, donations and transfers.
  • Bonding: Upon a two‑thirds roll‑call vote in each chamber and request of the Governor, the State Treasurer may issue bonds that are special obligations payable solely from the Nature for All Fund (not general obligations). The fund may reimburse the General Fund for debt service on land‑protection bonds.
  • Governance: A 15‑member “Nature for All Board” — EOEEA Secretary, Commissioners of Fish & Game and Conservation & Recreation, the climate chief, 4 legislative appointees (one each by Senate President, House Speaker, Senate minority leader, House minority leader), and 7 public members appointed by the Governor (including representatives of underserved communities and Indigenous people). The board approves regulations and expenditures, sets priorities and limits on fund use relative to existing capital programs.
  • Fiscal safeguards: EOEEA may not use the fund in a way that causes year‑over‑year decreases in bond cap spending or program investments from its five‑year capital plan; the board must set limits on supplementing existing capital programs.
  • Reporting: EOEEA must report annually (by Feb. 1) on expenditures, balances and anticipated credits; and by March 1 report proportions of funds spent in Environmental Justice communities to the board, EJ Council and legislative committees.

Who is affected

  • Conservation beneficiaries: municipalities, land trusts, regional organizations, tribal authorities, state agencies and conservation non‑profits.
  • Communities: emphasis on underserved neighborhoods, environmental justice populations, and Indigenous communities.
  • Financing and taxpayers: certain sales‑tax receipts (from specified NAICS categories) are dedicated to the new fund; the bill reduces those receipts available to the General Fund in favor of the dedicated fund (net of other statutory transfers).
  • State fiscal operations: allows issuance of special‑obligation bonds payable solely from the fund; may be used to reimburse debt service for land protection.

Legislative status and timeline (selection)

  • Introduced: July 31, 2025 (Senate).
  • Reported from Committee on Environment and Natural Resources: Aug. 11, 2025 (committee report accompanies the text).
  • Reported favorably and referred to Senate Ways and Means: Oct. 23, 2025.
  • Other procedural entries: multiple references to recommitments and print numbers (Print 2571A). Status line shows “RECOMMIT, ENACTING CLAUSE STRICKEN” on one or more occasions.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Advances land conservation, climate resilience, biodiversity and outdoor access with targeted funding.
  • Directs new/redirected sales‑tax receipts to conservation rather than the General Fund (subject to statutory netting of preexisting dedicated transfers).
  • Establishes a governance structure with statutory representation for Indigenous and underserved communities and oversight of how funds interact with existing capital programs.
  • Use of special‑obligation bonds limits state credit exposure to fund revenues but creates a contingent reliance on the fund’s dedicated revenue stream.

If you want, I can: (1) extract and summarize the specific NAICS industries tied to the listed codes; (2) prepare a one‑page fiscal/readiness checklist for implementing the fund; or (3) produce a redline showing exactly where the new section inserts into Chapter 29.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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