WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 555

Maribeth Werts-retirement

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Shane Massey

Creates a grant/loan program to replace gas-powered landscape equipment with low-noise, low-emission electric options for small businesses and municipalities.

Introduced and adopted
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 555

Summary — S 555 (2025): Grant and loan program for low-noise, low-emissions landscape maintenance equipment

Note on source materials: the provided documents include inconsistent metadata (references to both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and U.S. Senate sponsors/procedures). This summary relies on the bill text included in the packet, which appears to be a Massachusetts measure (adds Section 29 to Chapter 21A) creating a grant/loan program for replacing gas-powered landscape equipment with low‑noise, low‑emissions alternatives.

Purpose

To create incentives that help small businesses and municipalities replace gas-powered landscape maintenance equipment with low-noise, low-emissions (primarily electric) equipment, reducing local noise and pollutant emissions and supporting workforce transition to new equipment.

Key provisions

  • Adds Section 29 to Chapter 21A (Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs — EOEEA) to establish a grant and loan program administered by the EOEEA secretary.
  • Eligibility: grants and loans are available to small businesses and municipalities that surrender gas-powered landscape maintenance equipment in a one-for-one exchange for low-noise, low-emissions equipment.
  • Permitted uses of grant/loan funds:
    1. Purchase of electric landscape maintenance equipment.
    2. Training landscaping staff on use and care of electric equipment.
    3. Operational costs incurred during the transition from gas to electric equipment.
    4. Other transition-related costs as determined by the secretary.
  • Loans provided under the program carry 0% interest.
  • Establishes the "Low‑Noise, Low‑Emissions Landscape Maintenance Equipment Trust Fund" (the Fund):
    • The EOEEA secretary is trustee and may expend Fund amounts without further appropriation.
    • Money credited to the Fund does not revert at fiscal year end and remains available.
    • The secretary must report annually (on or before August 1) to the House and Senate Ways and Means committees and the chairs of the joint committee on environment, natural resources, and agriculture detailing Fund expenditures.

Who is affected

  • Directly: small landscaping businesses and municipal public works/parks departments seeking to replace gas-powered mowers, trimmers, blowers, etc.
  • Indirectly: equipment suppliers and manufacturers of electric/low-noise equipment; local communities benefiting from reduced noise and emissions; state fiscal management (creation of a non-reverting trust fund).
  • No specific appropriation amount or funding source is identified in the text.

Procedural status (as provided)

  • Introduced: February 12, 2025 (filed 1/15/2025 in the docket text).
  • Status listed: Referred to Health (per provided metadata). The bill text designates EOEEA administration and reporting to budget/environment committees.
  • The bill requires implementation actions by the EOEEA secretary (rulemaking/program design) before awards begin.

Notes and considerations

  • The bill sets program structure and financing mechanism but does not specify authorization or initial deposit amounts into the Trust Fund — appropriation or funding sources would determine program scale.
  • Administrative discretion is broad (secretary determines eligible “other” costs and manages the Fund), so program rules and priorities would be set in EOEEA implementation guidance.

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

Sign in to ask a question.