Bill
H 3723
Massachusetts RTAs must fully electrify their bus fleets by 2035, with specific annual procurement targets and centralized state planning, funding, and workforce support.
Status: Concurrent resolution / bill introduced Jan 16, 2025. Scrivener’s errors corrected (1/29/2025; 2/6/2025). Referred to committees (Judiciary; Transportation). Senate concurred (2/27/2025). Hearing scheduled 9/16/2025. Related bill: HD 2349 (replaces).
Note on file content: The official file includes an unrelated South Carolina concurrent resolution recognizing “National Medicolegal Death Investigation Professionals Week.” That material appears to be a clerical inclusion and is not part of H.3723’s substantive text; H.3723 addresses electrification of Massachusetts regional transit authorities.
Purpose
- Require Massachusetts regional transit authorities (RTAs) to transition their bus fleets to electric vehicles (EVs), prioritize service to environmental-justice communities, and create centralized state support for planning, procurement, funding, and workforce transition.
Key provisions
- Definition added to chapter 161B, §1: “Electric vehicles” — vehicles that rely solely on electric motors for propulsion; includes non‑combustion vehicles.
- New duty for RTAs (chapter 161B, §6 paragraph (s)):
- Operate electric vehicles, giving priority to routes serving environmental justice populations (as defined in chapter 30, §62).
- Conduct robust community outreach with residents, municipal officials, and transportation/environmental‑justice advocates.
- Achieve full RTA electrification by December 31, 2035.
- Procurement targets (Secretary, with A&F): newly purchased transit vehicles must be electric at specified percentages of all purchases — 40% in 2028; 60% in 2030; 80% in 2032.
- Annual reporting to the Regional Transit Authority Council on electrification progress, including any fossil‑fuel vehicles or infrastructure procured and reasons for such procurements.
- New section 28 (chapter 161B):
- DOT must establish a Central Planning and Procurement Office by December 31, 2026 to provide technical, planning, grant‑writing, procurement, and worker‑retraining support, and implement each RTA’s electric‑bus rollout plan by June 30, 2027.
- DOT to provide information/support (e.g., free retraining, hiring assistance) for employees who may become unemployed due to the transition.
- Employers of labor engaged to design/build/maintain needed infrastructure must pay prevailing wage, be subject to project labor agreements, and at minimum remain neutral to unionization efforts.
- DOT (with the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs) to identify funding sources and pursue federal funding opportunities consistent with chapter 21N.
Who is affected
- Regional Transit Authorities (procurement, operations, reporting).
- Riders, especially in environmental‑justice communities (service prioritization).
- RTA employees (retraining/hiring support); contractors and labor (prevailing wage and project labor agreement requirements).
- Executive agencies: Department of Transportation, Secretary (with Administration & Finance), Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, Regional Transit Authority Council.
- Municipal officials and community stakeholders (required outreach).
Potential impacts and considerations
- Accelerates transition to zero‑emission bus fleets with explicit procurement milestones and a 2035 fleet electrification target.
- Centralized planning/procurement and grant assistance aim to reduce barriers for smaller RTAs.
- Upfront capital and infrastructure costs (charging, grid upgrades) will likely be significant; the bill directs state/federal funding pursuit but does not appropriate specific funds.
- Workforce protections and retraining are required, and construction/installation work is tied to prevailing wages and project labor agreements, affecting project costs and labor relations.
- Annual transparency/reporting creates accountability and records justification for any continued fossil‑fuel procurements.
Procedural/timeline highlights
- Introduced: 1/16/2025. Central Planning Office required by 12/31/2026. RTA rollout plans to be supported by 6/30/2027. Fleet fully electrified statewide by 12/31/2035. Procurement percentage targets in 2028, 2030, 2032. Annual reporting to RTA Council.
This summary focuses on the bill’s substantive requirements for accelerated electrification of Massachusetts regional transit buses, centralized state support, community engagement, workforce transition, and procurement/reporting timelines.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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