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H 3477

Maximum potential employment benefits

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bruce Bannister and 9 co-sponsors

Massachusetts bans new sale of most compact and linear fluorescent lamps starting Jan 1, 2027, pushing use toward non-mercury lighting with limited exemptions.

Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · H 3477

Summary — H.3477 (House Docket No. 4165)

Title in text: "An Act relative to clean lighting and appliance efficiency standards"
(Note: metadata included a different title, "Maximum potential employment benefits"; the bill text addresses lighting/fluorescent lamp standards.)

Purpose

To update Chapter 21H (environmental/solid waste statutes) with new definitions for compact and linear fluorescent lamps, remove the prior “mercury‑added lamp” definition, and prohibit the sale/distribution in Massachusetts of most compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and linear fluorescent lamps as newly manufactured products beginning January 1, 2027. The goal is to restrict mercury‑containing fluorescent lighting in favor of cleaner lighting technologies, while providing targeted exemptions for specialized uses.

Key provisions

  • Adds a technical definition of “compact fluorescent lamp” (CFL) specifying lamp base types, ballast types, color temperature range (1700K–24000K) and Duv tolerance (±0.024 CAM02‑UCS), tube diameters/lengths, and shapes (spiral, twin tube, PL, etc.).
  • Adds a technical definition of “linear fluorescent lamp” covering two‑ended base types, color temperature/Duv limits, tube diameters (T5, T8, T10, T12), lengths from 0.5 to 8.0 feet, and shapes (linear, U‑bend, circular).
  • Removes the existing definition of “Mercury‑added lamp.”
  • Amends Section 6J(d): effective January 1, 2027, prohibits offering for final sale or distribution in Massachusetts (as newly manufactured products) the following:
    • Screw or bayonet base type compact fluorescent lamps;
    • Pin‑base type compact fluorescent lamps;
    • Linear fluorescent lamps.
  • Replaces/expands prior subsection content and adds multiple exemptions and compliance provisions (subsections (k)–(s)).

Exemptions (selected)

Prohibitions do not apply to lamps that are:
- Designed and marketed exclusively for image capture/projection (photocopying, printing/lithography, film/video projection, holography).
- High‑UV or germicidal lamps (specifies thresholds such as >2 mW/klm UV or peak ~253.7 nm), lamps for disinfection, ozone generation (~185.1 nm), or coral zooxanthellae symbiosis (400–480 nm ≥40%).
- Designed exclusively for medical/veterinary diagnosis or treatment, pharmaceutical manufacturing/quality control, or spectroscopy/photometric laboratory/process monitoring applications (lists examples: UV‑Vis, FTIR, atomic absorption, ellipsometry).
- Compact fluorescent lamps used solely to replace a lamp in a motor vehicle manufactured on or before January 1, 2020.

Enforcement & penalties

  • The Department (presumably the Department of Environmental Protection or designated department under Chapter 21H) may perform periodic inspections of distributors/retailers and must investigate complaints.
  • Department issues a warning for violations. Subsequent violations after the warning: civil penalty up to $100 per offense; further violations after a second violation: civil penalty up to $500 per offense. (Bill text truncated in provided copy but includes this warning/penalty structure.)

Who is affected

  • Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of new CFLs and linear fluorescent lamps in Massachusetts.
  • Commercial and institutional buyers that procure new fluorescent lamps (except for exempted specialized uses).
  • Consumers seeking new replacement fluorescent lamps for most modern products (with narrow vehicle replacement exemption).
  • Sectors using specialized lamps (medical, lab, industrial, projection, germicidal, etc.) are largely exempt.

Timeline & procedural status

  • Prefiled: 2024‑12‑05. Introduced/read first time: 2025‑01‑14.
  • Referred to: Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (2/27/2025); also referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
  • Sponsors/petitioners: Rep. Marjorie C. Decker and co‑petitions (Eldridge, Higgins, Sena, Scarsdale, Reyes).
  • Senate concurred (2/27/2025 per actions). Hearings scheduled/rescheduled for 09/25/2025.
  • Effective date for ban provisions: January 1, 2027 (per amended Section 6J(d)).

Potential impacts

  • Anticipated reduction in sale of mercury‑containing fluorescent lamps and associated environmental/mercury‑disposal concerns.
  • Marketplace transition pressure toward LED and other non‑mercury lighting; potential short‑term supply/price impacts for replacement lamps not covered by exemptions.
  • Compliance and enforcement duties for state department and regulated businesses; limited consumer exceptions preserved (e.g., certain vehicle replacements and specialized equipment).

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

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