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H 3555

School Bond Election Dates

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cal Forrest and 2 co-sponsors

Requires annual public report detailing how funds from ACPs and certificate proceeds are spent, plus bill-impact analysis for ratepayers.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary
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Bill Summary · H 3555

Summary — H.3555 (2025): Reporting on Funds from the Clean Energy Standard and Future Clean Heat Standard

Main purpose

H.3555 requires the state “department” referenced in Chapter 23J of the Massachusetts General Laws to publish an annual, detailed report on how it spends funds received from alternative compliance payments and from redemption/sale of certificates or credits created by Clean Energy and future Clean Heat programs (programs developed under Chapter 21N and implementing regulations such as 310 CMR 7.75 and 310 CMR 7.77). The intent is to increase transparency about program expenditures and their impacts on ratepayers and compliance with statutory emissions limits.

Key provisions

  • Adds a new Section 13 to Chapter 23J.
  • Annual reporting requirement:
    • Timing: report covering the previous fiscal year, submitted no later than August 15 each year.
    • Recipients: the Governor; Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy; Joint Committee on Environment; Senate and House Committees on Ways and Means.
  • Content requirements: the report must detail all expenditures from
    • alternative compliance payments received by the department and
    • proceeds from redemption or sale of certificates/credits authorized by present or future programs under Chapter 21N (explicitly including 310 CMR 7.75 and 310 CMR 7.77).
  • Required analyses to be included:
    • Description of cost impacts of those expenditures on ratepayers of electric distribution companies and gas companies, and on other entities under the department’s jurisdiction that participate in the programs.
    • Approximate monthly bill impacts, delineated by customer class or group.
    • Explanation of how the expenditures contribute to achieving compliance with limits and sublimits established under Sections 3 and 3A of Chapter 21N.

Who would be affected

  • The department named in Chapter 23J (responsible for administering the referenced programs) — responsible for preparing and submitting the report.
  • Electric distribution companies and gas companies, as the report must analyze cost impacts on their ratepayers.
  • Ratepayers and customer classes (residential, commercial, industrial) — the report will estimate monthly bill implications.
  • Policymakers and legislative committees receiving the report, who will have more data for oversight and budgetary decisions.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Filing/introductory timeline from bill materials:
    • Prefiled: 12/05/2024
    • Filed (House Docket No. 2072): 01/15/2025
    • Introduced/read first time: 01/14/2025 (record shows multiple early-draft dates)
    • Referred: Committee on Judiciary (01/14/2025) and later to Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (02/27/2025)
    • Senate concurred: 02/27/2025
    • Hearing scheduled/rescheduled for October 16, 2025 (10/03/2025; rescheduled 10/16/2025)
    • Accompanied a new draft (see H.4744): 11/13/2025
  • Current status (per provided record): Referred to committee (Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and earlier Judiciary actions); hearings planned.

Potential implications

  • Increases fiscal and program transparency for Clean Energy and Clean Heat-related funds.
  • Provides legislators and regulators with data to assess consumer cost impacts and whether expenditures advance compliance with statutory emissions limits.
  • Could influence future budgeting, program design, and rate-setting proceedings by clarifying how ACPs and certificate proceeds are used and who bears costs.
  • Administrative burden on the department to collect and present detailed cost and bill-impact estimates annually.

Related bills

  • HD 2072 (replaced by H.3555)
  • A subsequent accompanying draft noted as H.4744 (11/13/2025)

(References in the bill text to 310 CMR 7.75 and 7.77 point to Clean Energy Standard and related implementing regulations; references to Sections 3 and 3A of Chapter 21N relate to statutory limits and sublimits established for those programs.)

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

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