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S 942

Makes life imprisonment without parole mandatory for defendants convicted of murder in the first degree or second degree and the victim is a police officer, peace officer, first responder or correctional officer

2025 Regular Session Introduced by George Borrello and 12 co-sponsors

Creates a one-year MBTA student rail pilot along the South Coast Rail: 50% off semester passes for BSU students in eligible towns, prioritized by need; report due Sept 1, 2026.

REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · S 942

Summary — S. 942 (2025): Reduced‑fare pilot program for students on South Coast Rail

Note on discrepancy: the bill text provided here (Senate No. 942, filed Jan. 16, 2025 and presented by Sen. Mark C. Montigny) establishes a student reduced‑fare pilot for South Coast Rail. The short title shown elsewhere (regarding life imprisonment) appears to be unrelated to the text and is not reflected in the bill language below.

Purpose

To create a one‑year pilot program (2025–2026 academic year) under which the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), working with Bridgewater State University (BSU), offers semester commuter rail passes to eligible BSU students at a 50% discount along the South Coast Rail corridor.

Key provisions

  • "Notwithstanding any general or special law," the MBTA shall implement a reduced‑fare pilot for student semester commuter rail passes on the South Coast Rail corridor.
  • Fare reduction: 50% of the standard commuter rail fare for eligible students.
  • Eligibility: students enrolled at Bridgewater State University who reside within municipalities along the South Coast Rail corridor.
  • Municipalities explicitly listed include: New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton; and the towns of Acushnet, Berkley, Bridgewater, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Lakeville, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Rochester, and Somerset (language includes “including but not limited to” these places).
  • Distribution and prioritization: Bridgewater State University shall distribute the discounted passes and prioritize allocation based on student financial need.
  • Reporting requirement: The MBTA must submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means by September 1, 2026, that includes:
    • Total number of reduced student passes distributed;
    • Number of passes distributed by city/town of student residence; and
    • Total cost incurred to implement the program.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Bridgewater State University students living in the specified South Coast Rail corridor municipalities.
  • MBTA: responsible for implementing the pilot and reporting costs.
  • Bridgewater State University: responsible for distributing passes and determining prioritization by financial need.
  • Municipalities along the corridor may see increased transit use and student commuting options.

Timeline and process

  • Pilot implementation: 2025–2026 academic year.
  • Reporting deadline: September 1, 2026.
  • Legislative status (as provided): filed Jan. 16, 2025; presented by Sen. Mark C. Montigny; referred to relevant committees (records show referrals to Higher Education and to Codes; a hearing was scheduled for 07/18/2025; a new draft S.2593 was filed 09/08/2025).

Fiscal and implementation notes

  • The MBTA will incur costs to provide the subsidy; the bill requires a post‑pilot accounting of total costs but does not appropriate specific funds.
  • Distribution prioritized by financial need may limit initial uptake to lower‑income students; the “including but not limited to” phrasing allows for additional corridor municipalities to be considered.

Additional note

The sponsors list included with the materials appears inconsistent with the bill text (the bill text identifies Sen. Mark C. Montigny as the petitioner/sponsor). Users should confirm sponsor and procedural details with the official Massachusetts legislative website for any updates.

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

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