Bill
S 2682
Creates the Extraordinary Routes Relief Fund to help non-regional districts with transportation costs above 125% of the state average, providing grants up to 40% of the excess.
Status & procedural history (as reported)
- Filed: 4/16/2025 (Senate Docket No. 2824); presented by Sen. Dylan A. Fernandes.
- Passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent: 8/2/2025.
- Received in the House: 8/8/2025; referred for further action.
- Hearing scheduled: 12/02/2025, 1:00–2:00 PM (A‑2).
- Related measures noted: HR 4647 (companion); SD 2824 (replaces).
Purpose
- Create a dedicated state fund to provide targeted financial relief to non‑regional Massachusetts school districts whose transportation costs per pupil are substantially higher than the statewide average.
Key provisions
- Establishes the "Extraordinary Routes Relief Fund" on the Commonwealth’s books (Chapter 29 insertion).
- Fund sources: legislative appropriations, transfers, public/private gifts/grants/donations, and interest earnings.
- Funds are to be expended by grant, subject to appropriation, for transportation expenses (e.g., bus purchase/maintenance, fuel, driver salaries).
- Comptroller to certify the fund balance at fiscal year end; account not subject to G.L. c.29, §5C (statutory limitation referenced in bill).
- Oversight committee
- An 11‑member committee appointed by the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education: 8 representatives from regional and non‑regional school districts and 3 representatives from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
- Committee administers fair and transparent grant allocation.
- Eligibility & grant amount
- A non‑regional district is eligible if its transportation cost per pupil exceeds 125% of the statewide average (as determined by DESE).
- Grants may cover up to 40% of the excess amount (i.e., up to 40% of the difference between district cost/pupil and the statewide average).
- Reporting & evaluation
- Districts applying for grants must annually (by July 1) report prior‑year data: pupil counts, actual transportation costs, number of buses/vehicles, and total miles traveled.
- DESE must annually (by June 30) review fund effectiveness and report to the House and Senate clerks and the Joint Committee on Education.
Who is affected
- Primary beneficiaries: non‑regional Massachusetts public school districts with transportation costs per pupil >125% of the statewide average.
- Secondary effects: state budget/appropriations (fund requires legislative or other funding); DESE and district administrative workloads (reporting and oversight).
Potential impact and considerations
- Fiscal relief: Provides partial mitigation (up to 40% of the excess) for districts facing unusually high transportation costs, which may stabilize local budgets or reduce pressure on local taxpayers.
- Funding dependency: Actual impact depends on annual appropriations, gifts, or grants credited to the Fund—not an automatic entitlement.
- Administrative oversight and equity: Committee composition and DESE’s determinations (cost calculations, grant awards) will shape which districts benefit and to what extent.
- Transparency/reporting: The bill requires annual district and DESE reporting, enabling legislative and public review of fund effectiveness.
Notes
- The summary focuses on the bill text establishing the Extraordinary Routes Relief Fund. Some metadata (titles, committee referrals, sponsors) in the materials appeared inconsistent; this summary prioritizes the enacted text and its direct provisions.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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