Relative to economic development in the commonwealth

Reproduced from the official legislative record. Confirm the current text and status at the official source.

1 of 225 FILED ON: 7/13/2026 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 5576 House bill No. 5562, amended and passed to be engrossed by the House. July 8, 2026. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court (2025-2026) _______________ An Act relative to economic development in the commonwealth. Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to drive industry innovation and promote economic opportunity and job creation, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1

SECTION 1. To provide for a program of community development, economic 2 opportunities, support for local governments, increased industry innovation, job creation and the 3 promotion of economic reinvestment through the funding of infrastructure improvements the 4 sums set forth in section 2 for the several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this 5 act, are hereby made available, subject to the laws regulating the disbursement of public funds. 6 These sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously authorized and made available for the 7 purposes of those items. The sums set forth in section 2 shall be made available until June 30, 8 2036. 9

SECTION 2. 10 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 2 of 225 11 Office of the Secretary 12 7002-8079 For a capital grant program to be administered by the executive office of 13 economic development to provide grants to private businesses that are constructing or expanding 14 commercial, industrial or manufacturing facilities in the commonwealth, which may include, but 15 shall not be limited to: (i) the construction or expansion of facilities in a manner that eliminates 16 or minimizes the use of fossil-fuel heating and cooling equipment, or incorporates other 17 decarbonization measures that would not otherwise be incorporated into the facility design; (ii) 18 the integration of design features that make a facility more resilient to the impacts of climate 19 change, where such design features would not otherwise be economically feasible; and (iii) 20 capital investments that support the creation of a significant number of new jobs in the 21 commonwealth; provided, that the secretary of economic development shall issue program 22 guidelines around the administration of the program which may include the administration of the 23 program through a contract with the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency established in 24 section 2 of chapter 23G of the General Laws, or any other appropriate quasi-governmental 25 agency; and provided further, that grants shall be awarded in a manner that promotes geographic 26 equity...………………………………………………………………………….…$25,000,000 27 7002-8080 For the executive office of economic development to make grants to 28 support the development and application of artificial intelligence technologies in strategically 29 important sectors of the state’s economy including, but not limited to, life sciences, healthcare, 30 advanced manufacturing, climatetech, quantum, defense technology, transportation and robotics; 31 provided that grants may be made from this item to public entities, non-profit entities and private 32 businesses; and provided further, that, at the discretion of the secretary of economic 33 development, grant funding may be administered by the Massachusetts Technology Park 3 of 225 34 Corporation, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the Massachusetts Technology 35 Development Corporation, or the Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology 36 Center.....................................................................................................................$75,000,000 37 7002-8081 For the executive office of economic development to provide capital 38 grants to support the construction, fit-out, and improvement of 1 or more sites where early stage 39 and high growth business ventures are encouraged to establish operations in the commonwealth; 40 provided that the executive office may contract with the Massachusetts Development Finance 41 Agency, or other state authority as defined in section 1 of chapter 29 of the General Laws, to 42 administer the grants or other financial assistance from this line item; and provided further, that 43 grants shall be awarded in a manner that promotes geographic equity…….……..$20,000,000 44 7002-8082 For the executive office of economic development for investments in 45 capital assets or public infrastructure that promote economic growth, job creation, and talent 46 recruitment and retention in the defense sector, including to support innovation in defense related 47 technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and autonomous systems, 48 semiconductors and microelectronics, biosecurity, and advanced manufacturing; provided that 49 grants from this line item may be made to public and private entities as determined by the 50 executive office; and provided further that, at the discretion of the secretary of economic 51 development, grant funding may be administered by the Massachusetts Technology Park 52 Corporation, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the Massachusetts Technology 53 Development Corporation, the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency, and the 54 Massachusetts Clean Energy Technology Center.…………………………….….$100,000,000 4 of 225 55 7002-8083 For the executive office of economic development to provide capital 56 grants to support food science, agricultural enterprises, locally-sourced seafood and shellfish, 57 resilient and sustainable food innovation, food and agricultural technology, and related sectors; 58 provided that the executive office may contract with the Massachusetts Development Finance 59 Agency, or other state authority as defined in section 1 of chapter 29 of the General Laws, to 60 administer the grants from this item; provided further, that the department of agricultural 61 resources shall establish a micro-grant tier within the food security infrastructure program for 62 commercial working farms operating on less than 100 acres; provided further, that said tier shall 63 utilize an expedited, low-barrier application and compliance process designed for family-owned 64 and generational agricultural operations to secure capital for climate adaptive upgrades, 65 including advanced drip irrigation, soil-erosion controls and crop canopy protection; and 66 provided further, that grants shall be awarded in a manner that promotes geographic 67 equity……………………………………………………………………….…..$10,000,000 68 7002-8084 For a competitive program to be administered by the Massachusetts 69 Technology Park Corporation established in section 3 of chapter 40J of the General Laws to 70 provide capital grants to support research and development of robotics technology including, but 71 not limited to, robotics incubation, testing, training, workforce development, research and 72 development and commercialization activities; provided, that grants may be made to nonprofit 73 entities, public or private universities or private business 74 entities..................................................................................................................$25,000,000 75 7002-8085 For a grant program to cities, towns, regional organizations whose 76 membership is exclusively composed of municipal governments, municipal redevelopment 77 authorities or agencies or quasi-governmental agencies to support economic development in 5 of 225 78 Massachusetts, including, but not limited to, support for the vitality, activation, improvement and 79 competitiveness of downtowns, main streets, business districts, town centers, commercial 80 corridors, cultural districts and other walkable mixed-use areas; provided that the executive 81 office of economic development shall establish program requirements through regulations or 82 policy guidelines; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the 2027 83 Boston Calling Music Festival for the purpose of added security to be held at the Harvard 84 Athletic Complex in the Allston section of the city of Boston; and provided further, that grants 85 shall be awarded in a manner that promotes geographic equity…………………......$25,000,000 86 7002-8086 For the executive office of economic development to provide capital 87 grants to enhance the arts, culture and the creative economy in Massachusetts, including but not 88 limited to grants to cities and towns for public realm and streetscape improvements that enhance 89 downtown vibrancy, rehabilitation of historic districts, wayfinding and signage to support 90 cultural institutions, improvements to public gathering and performance spaces, and permanent 91 public art installations; provided that the executive office may contract with the Massachusetts 92 Development Finance Agency, the Massachusetts Cultural Council or other state authority as 93 defined in section 1 of chapter 29 of the General Laws, to administer the grants from this item; 94 and provided further, that grants shall be awarded in a manner that promotes geographic 95 equity………….………..……..$25,000,000 96 7002-8087 For local economic development grants; provided, that not less than 97 $750,000 shall be expended to the city of Gloucester for upgrades, repairs or improvements to 98 facilities on the Jodrey State Fish Pier in the city of Gloucester; provided further, that not less 99 than $95,000 shall be expended to the town of Boxford for the purchase of a department of 100 public works dump truck to replace an essential vehicle to ensure safe and reliable road 6 of 225 101 maintenance; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to Revolutionary 102 Spaces, Inc. for construction planning, capital projects and deferred maintenance at the Old State 103 House and Old South Meeting House; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 104 expended for an independent study to evaluate the cumulative economic impacts of changes 105 associated with the route 2 Concord rotary improvements and the redevelopment of the former 106 Massachusetts correctional institution property; provided further, that not less than $350,000 107 shall be expended to the Shrewsbury Development Corporation for the acquisition of blighted, 108 underutilized or tax-foreclosed properties within the town of Shrewsbury; provided further, that 109 not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Holyoke to support the feasibility, design 110 and early construction of anaerobic digesters at the wastewater treatment plant; provided further, 111 that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Holyoke to develop a master plan for 112 the city's flood control system; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to 113 Helfrich Bros. Boiler Works, Inc. for the investment of advanced machinery specifically 114 designed for the manufacturing of greentech products; provided further, that not less than 115 $250,000 shall be expended to the city of Lawrence for the design, engineering, replacement and 116 reconstruction of the apparatus bay floor and related infrastructure improvements at the South 117 Lawrence fire station located at 71 South Broadway; provided further, that not less than 118 $150,000 shall be expended to the town of Andover for signalization improvements at the Essex 119 street railroad crossing; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the 120 town of Acton for improvements to NARA park in the town of Acton; provided further, that not 121 less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Andover for any costs related to construction 122 of a pump track at recreation park; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 123 expended to the Holyoke Redevelopment Authority for land assembly, site improvements, public 7 of 225 124 infrastructure and other redevelopment activities associated with mixed-use development, 125 affordable and market-rate housing projects in its urban renewal plan on Newton street and High 126 street; provided further, that not less than $275,000 shall be expended to the city of Newburyport 127 for the final design, bidding and construction of the Market Landing park visitor center and 128 restroom facility; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 129 Southcoast LGBTQ Network, Inc. to complete construction on an LGBTQ+ Community Center 130 in the city of New Bedford; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to 131 The Gateway Project nonprofit in the city of New Bedford for the purpose of establishing a land 132 bank to identify and hold parcels of land that shall be developed into climate conscious buildings 133 for community-based projects and services; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be 134 expended to The Gateway Project, Inc. in the city of New Bedford for the purposes of 135 conducting a neighborhood revitalization study to assess the viability of climate-conscious and 136 energy-efficient renovations to buildings in downtown New Bedford; provided further, that not 137 less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Avon for food pantries; provided further, that 138 not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Canton for food pantries; provided 139 further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Stoughton for food pantries; 140 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Wilbraham Nature and 141 Cultural Center, Inc. for sidewalk, roadway and gazebo repairs and upgrades to Fountain park in 142 the town of Wilbraham; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the city 143 known as the town of East Longmeadow for the preservation, repair, maintenance and 144 enhancement of the veterans’ memorial in the city known as the town of East Longmeadow, to 145 be administered in consultation with the East Longmeadow Veterans Memorial Committee; 146 provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Monson for interior 8 of 225 147 repairs and renovations, including the reading room and foyer, at the Monson Free library; 148 provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the city of Springfield for 149 parking lot restoration at the Springfield Technology Park, in support of the Springfield 150 Technology Park and the Western Massachusetts quantum project; provided further, that not less 151 than $600,000 shall be expended to the town of Wilbraham to construct a new sidewalk on Stony 152 Hill road from Wilbraham commons to the intersection of Boston road; provided further, that not 153 less than $250,000 shall be expended to Northern Essex Community College to establish an 154 artificial intelligence workforce navigator and apprenticeship innovation pilot program to expand 155 access to registered apprenticeship programs and careers in high-demand industries; provided 156 further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Sutton for the renovation of 157 the facilities and infrastructure at Marion's camp; provided further, that not less than $20,000 158 shall be expended to the town of Brimfield to purchase and install a military memorial on the 159 Brimfield town common; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 160 Revere and Son Heritage Trust Corporation for the museum at the Paul Revere Heritage Site in 161 the town of Canton; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the 162 Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Inc. for a pilot program to retrofit scallop fishing vessels with 163 advanced jigging technology and LED light arrays to develop a new sustainable oceanic neon 164 flying squid fishery; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 165 Canton Housing Authority in the town of Canton for the purposes of making improvements and 166 revitalizing public housing stock; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended 167 to the town of Avon for improvements to the industrial park in the town of Avon; provided 168 further, that not less than $650,000 shall be expended to the city of Methuen for capital 169 improvements to the central fire station located at 24 Lowell street; provided further, that not less 9 of 225 170 than $100,000 shall be expended to Waters Farm Preservation, Inc. in the town of Sutton for the 171 completion of the facilities and infrastructure at the welcome center and historic museum; 172 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the Blue Hill Observatory & 173 Science Center, Inc.; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to 174 reimburse businesses in the designated clean zone of Gillette stadium in the town of Foxborough 175 for loss of revenue during the World Cup games held in June and July of 2026; provided further, 176 that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the town of Scituate for the North Scituate sewer 177 project; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the Mashpee 178 Improvement Fund Inc for the design and construction of an upper cape food hub and shared-use 179 community kitchen to coordinate a resilient local food network; provided further, that not less 180 than $200,000 shall be expended to the Lawrence Housing Authority for capital improvements 181 and modernization of the Stadium courts and Hancock courts family housing developments; 182 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Methuen Housing 183 Authority for hallway and flooring restoration; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 184 shall be expended to the town of Bedford to repurpose the existing fire station headquarters 185 building upon its vacancy in the spring of 2027; provided further, that not less than $500,000 186 shall be expended to the town of Burlington for the construction of multimodal transportation 187 and connectivity improvements to improve safety, mobility and economic competitiveness along 188 the Middlesex turnpike; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the 189 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers IBEW Local Union 96 to develop space in the 190 city of Worcester for an economic empowerment and workforce training center; provided 191 further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the Massachusetts Association 192 Minority Law Enforcement Officers for capital improvement projects to reconstruct and 10 of 225 193 redevelop their headquarters located at 61 Columbia road in the Dorchester section of the city of 194 Boston; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the city of Worcester, 195 in partnership with the Seven Hills Foundation, to complete the renovation of the historic Stearns 196 tavern for space to be used for workforce training programs for persons with disabilities, 197 community meeting spaces, and visitor information services; provided further, that not less than 198 $250,000 shall be expended to the Main South Community Development Corporation to develop 199 streetscape improvements and public art installations on the Main Street and Park Avenue 200 commercial corridors in the city of Worcester; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall 201 be expended to the town of Westborough for economic development projects, including a study 202 of the route 9 corridor and the development of the Westborough community center; provided 203 further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the town of Northborough for economic 204 development projects, including municipal communications infrastructure, municipal energy 205 efficiency upgrades, downtown revitalization; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall 206 be expended to the town of Southborough for economic development projects, including 207 downtown revitalization in the town of Southborough; provided further, that not less than 208 $30,000 shall be expended to the town of Southborough for tricentennial celebrations and 209 festivities; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for the project of 210 dredging the Ten Mile river; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to 211 Boston public schools for the design and construction of the Ruth Batson Academy in the 212 Dorchester section of the city of Boston; provided further, that not less than $15,000 shall be 213 expended to the town of Randolph for the substance misuse prevention coalition, HEY Randolph 214 program; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended for the engineering, 215 design, assessment and repair planning deemed necessary by the department of conservation and 11 of 225 216 recreation to support the rehabilitation and eventual replacement of the Scusset beach state 217 fishing pier located within Scusset beach state reservation in the town of Sandwich; provided 218 further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Groveland for costs related to 219 the redevelopment of the 150 Center Street property; provided further, that not less than $50,000 220 shall be expended to Downtown Framingham, Inc. for the Framingham Business Trade Show; 221 provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the town of West Newbury for 222 the replacement of aging water mains; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be 223 expended to the Bristol County Agricultural high school for expanded integrated secondary and 224 adult agricultural workforce development initiatives; provided further, that not less than 225 $100,000 shall be expended to the Bristol County Agricultural high school for an elementary and 226 middle school agricultural career pathways initiative; provided further, that not less than 227 $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Boxford for the replacement of an existing retaining 228 wall on Main street; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the town 229 of Orange’s Economic Development & Industrial Corp for the redevelopment of Butterfield 230 school; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the Franklin County 231 Community Development Corporation for their food processing center; provided further, that not 232 less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Royalston for the redevelopment of the 233 Raymond school; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the city of 234 Greenfield for the redevelopment of the Green River school; provided further, that not less than 235 $150,000 shall be expended to the town of South Hadley for the South Hadley Falls Business 236 Improvement Program to support building façade and other property improvements; provided 237 further, that said funds may also be used to support projects that encourage entrepreneurship, 238 sustainability, economic growth and commercial revitalization within the South Hadley Falls 12 of 225 239 Urban Renewal and Redevelopment District; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall 240 be expended to the city of Easthampton for the Nashawannuck Pond Boardwalk Extension 241 project, including supporting improved pedestrian connectivity, public access, economic 242 development, tourism and recreational opportunities; provided further, that not less than 243 $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Easthampton for the design, engineering, permitting 244 and construction of the Lower Mill Pond Footbridge project; provided further, that not less than 245 $200,000 shall be expended to the city of Easthampton for public realm enhancements, 246 pedestrian safety improvements and commercial corridor activation within the state-designated 247 Cottage Street Cultural District; provided further, that not less than $145,000 shall be expended 248 to the town of Hadley for a commercial corridor improvement grant program to support business 249 along route 9 and Russell street business districts with ADA-compliant infrastructure, façade 250 enhancements and signage upgrades; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 251 expended to the town of South Hadley for economic planning, engineering, design and 252 commercial site readiness blueprints for the modernization of the Main street commercial 253 pumping station corridor; provided further, that not less than $197,000 shall be expended to the 254 Easthampton public schools for information technology infrastructure modernization, including 255 the replacement of obsolete server hardware with a modern virtual server environment to support 256 critical school operations, improve network reliability and cybersecurity, ensure business 257 continuity and reduce long-term operating and energy costs; provided further, that not less than 258 $54,085 shall be expended to the city of Easthampton for municipal Wi-Fi infrastructure 259 improvements, including the installation and enhancement of outdoor public wireless internet 260 access at the city hall parking lot, pond area and public pool; provided further, that not less than 261 $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of Watertown for the planning, design, engineering and 13 of 225 262 construction of an Armenian Cultural Association of America; provided further, that not less 263 than $500,000 shall be expended to the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority for downtown 264 redevelopment projects in the city of Fitchburg; provided further, that not less than $500,000 265 shall be expended to the city known as the town of Braintree for economic development; 266 provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to Fitchburg State University to 267 support the redevelopment and improvement of the theater block and enhance the IdeaLab and 268 game design studio; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town 269 of Holbrook for economic development; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be 270 expended to the Massachusetts Economic Development Foundation, Inc. to expand marketing 271 resources for municipalities and nonprofit partners; provided further, that not less than $250,000 272 shall be expended to the town of Halifax for improvements to their senior center and to support 273 programming and staff at their council on aging; provided further, that not less than $250,000 274 shall be expended to the town of Plympton for projects associated with improving Plympton’s 275 downtown and municipal complex area; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be 276 expended to the town of Kingston for projects associated with improving their downtown; 277 provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the department of higher 278 education to continue the operation of the Education to Workforce Marketplace pilot program; 279 provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the Plymouth Philharmonic 280 Orchestra Inc. to support their youth programming; provided further, that not less than $500,000 281 shall be expended to the city of Boston for the Homeownership Accelerator Fund pilot program 282 to reducing financing barriers for construction projects that include income-restricted units, as 283 well as other identified housing projects within the pilot program; provided further, that not less 284 than $150,000 shall be expended to the town of Milton for street light improvements to the East 14 of 225 285 Milton square business district; provided further, that not less than $750,000 shall be expended to 286 the city of New Bedford, the New Bedford Port Authority or a designee for coordinated 287 pedestrian and vehicular wayfinding signage, streetscape elements and public-realm 288 improvements that enhance safety, accessibility and navigation at the port of New Bedford and 289 strengthen physical and visual connections between the working waterfront, downtown New 290 Bedford, local businesses and cultural destinations; provided further, that not less than 291 $1,000,000 shall be expended to the town of Westport for improvements to the water and sewer 292 utility systems along state highway route 6; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be 293 expended to the metropolitan area planning council to facilitate regional coordination of 294 municipal affordable housing trusts and a regional housing strategy; provided further, that not 295 less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Scituate for the replacement of the Scituate 296 Harbor Gazebo and related site improvements; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall 297 be expended to the town of Natick for economic development programming; provided further, 298 that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the town of Wayland for economic development 299 programming; provided further, that not less than $125,000 shall be expended to the New 300 Bedford Port Authority for an economic impact study of the port of New Bedford, which shall 301 evaluate the port’s contributions to: (i) regional and statewide employment; (ii) commercial 302 fishing; (iii) seafood processing; (iv) maritime commerce; (v) offshore wind development; (vi) 303 tax revenues; and (vii) supply-chain activity; provided further, that the results of said study shall 304 be made available to the executive office of economic development and the clerks of the house 305 of representatives and the senate upon completion; provided further, that not less than $500,000 306 shall be expended to the city of Boston for Vision Zero intersection improvements as required 307 for the redevelopment of the former Edison Power Station in South Boston; provided further, 15 of 225 308 that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for competitive grants to higher education 309 institutions to support research and development projects advancing plant-based, cell-cultured or 310 fermentation technologies and sources to create meat and dairy analogues; provided further, that 311 not less than $2,000,000 shall be expended to the Courageous Sailing Center for Youth, Inc. for 312 the planning, demolition and reconstruction of Pier 5 in the Charlestown section of the city of 313 Boston; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the city of for the 314 assessment, remediation, environmental cleanup, restoration and site preparation of the Cedar 315 Swamp area to facilitate future economic development, environmental resilience and wealth 316 creation opportunities, including activities necessary to prepare the site for future public or 317 private investment; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of 318 Rockland for the Rockland Sewer Project to support infrastructure improvements necessary to 319 advance transit-oriented housing, mixed-use development and the revitalization of the Rockland 320 center as an economic hub; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the 321 town of Lexington for the design and construction of pedestrian bicycle infrastructure and safety 322 improvements to enhance connectivity and improve walkability to and around Lexington center; 323 provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended on a grant program to provide 324 incentive funds to small businesses and municipalities to transition landscape maintenance 325 equipment to low noise, low emissions equipment including, but not limited to, staffing, grants 326 and administrative expenses; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to 327 the town of Bridgewater for traffic and pedestrian sidewalk improvements in downtown 328 Bridgewater; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of 329 Bridgewater to establish a downtown business façade improvement program; provided further, 330 that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Bridgewater for water infrastructure 16 of 225 331 improvements; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the town of 332 Raynham for improvements to the Raynham Woods Commerce Center; provided further, that 333 not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Raynham for the development of the 334 South street east recreational area along the Taunton river; provided further, that not less than 335 $400,000 shall be expended to the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Inc. to 336 establish and implement a statewide advisory committee comprised of representatives from 337 Massachusetts manufacturers, public high schools and vocational technical schools to review and 338 evaluate the Massachusetts Career and Workplace Integrated Curriculum and identify curriculum 339 enhancements and additional course offerings necessary to meet the current and future workforce 340 needs of Massachusetts manufacturers; provided further, that said advisory committee shall also 341 evaluate the integration of a manufacturing pre-apprenticeship program with the MACWIC 342 curriculum and determine the feasibility of delivering both programs through secondary schools 343 as a comprehensive manufacturing career pathway; provided further, that said funds shall 344 support the development of an enhanced curriculum, implementation of pilot programs in three 345 Massachusetts schools, evaluation of student and employer outcomes and incorporation of 346 stakeholder feedback; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the 347 Boston Caribbean American Association Inc. for developing a cultural district and center in the 348 city of Boston in coordination with the Massachusetts Caribbean Cultural Commission; provided 349 further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Hardwick for equipment 350 purchases and upgrades at its police station; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 351 expended to the town of Tewksbury for water infrastructure improvements; provided further, that 352 not less than $50,000 shall be expended to Field’s Corner Main Streets for community 353 programming and services; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to 17 of 225 354 Greater Ashmont Main Streets for community programming and the annual Dorchfest; provided 355 further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to Upham’s Corner Main Street for 356 community programming and services; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 357 expended to the city of Chicopee for the provision of economic development grants and technical 358 assistance; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the city of 359 Chicopee for community playground investments; provided further, that not less than $250,000 360 shall be expended to the city of Malden for economic development programs and initiatives; 361 provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the town of Brewster for the 362 redevelopment of the Sea Camps properties; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be 363 expended to Circle of Hope, Inc. in the town of Needham for an inventory management system; 364 provided further, that not less than $750,000 shall be expended to the town of Needham for the 365 design and construction of improvements to Great Plain avenue; provided further, that not less 366 than $30,000 shall be expended to the town of Needham for town website accessibility 367 improvements; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of 368 Natick for landscaping and safety improvements to be made to the rotary located at the 369 intersection of North Main street and Pine street; provided further, that not less than $250,000 370 shall be expended to the city of Boston for a school safety data grant pilot program within the 371 Boston public school district; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to 372 the town of Acton and the town of Concord for road and transportation infrastructure 373 improvements at Kelley’s corner; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be 374 expended to the city of Boston to upgrade its fire department fleet; provided further, that not less 375 than $25,000 shall be provided to the Acton memorial library for the development and expansion 376 of a children’s program room and other related expenses; provided further, that not less than 18 of 225 377 $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for the renovation of the central library’s 378 McKim building in Back Bay; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to 379 the town of town of Clinton for projects associated with improving their downtown and 380 economic development; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 381 city of Malden for economic development programs and initiatives; provided further, that not 382 less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Berlin for projects associated with 383 improving their downtown and economic development; provided further, that not less than 384 $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Boylston for projects associated with improving their 385 downtown and economic development; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be 386 expended to the town of Lancaster for projects associated with improving their downtown and 387 economic development; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 388 town of Sterling for projects associated with improving their downtown and economic 389 development; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the town of Acton 390 for firefighter turnout gear and other related expenses; provided further, that not less than 391 $500,000 shall be expended to the New England Culinary Arts Training Center for costs 392 associated with the new training center; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be 393 expended to the town of Dover for improving accessibility at the Dover town library; provided 394 further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the town of Shirley for improving 395 accessibility to the Shirley war memorial building; provided further, that not less than 396 $1,000,000 shall be expended to Ascentria Care Alliance, Inc. for the dedensification at the 397 Laurel Ridge Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center; provided further, that not less than $25,000 398 shall be expended to the chamber of commerce in Malden for events and programming; provided 399 further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for safety 19 of 225 400 improvements on Wood avenue in Hyde Park; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall 401 be expended to the town of Dennis for the development and implementation of a blue economy 402 and technology curriculum for Dennis-Yarmouth high school; provided further, that not less than 403 $20,000 shall be expended to the town of Dover for the purchase and setup of financial 404 budgeting software; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the Malden 405 festivals for additional programming and activities for the Malden farmers market; provided 406 further, that not less than $157,000 shall be expended to the Pillar & Post Dracut Farmers Hall 407 LLC in the town of Dracut for the installation of an elevator at the historic 1903 Dracut Grange 408 Hall to enable accessibility for all persons; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall 409 be expended to the city of Taunton for economic development projects such as municipal energy 410 efficiency upgrades and downtown revitalization; provided further, that not less than $729,000 411 shall be expended to Pillar & Post Dracut Farmers Hall LLC for renovations to the exterior of the 412 1903 Grange Hall building in Dracut; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be 413 expended to Worcester Olympia Theater for construction and infrastructure projects; provided 414 further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to New England Life Flight, Inc., d/b/a 415 Boston MedFlight for critical care operations; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall 416 be expended to the town of Norfolk for network infrastructure upgrades; provided further, that 417 not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for Poplar street improvements 418 in Roslindale; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of 419 Wrentham for improvements to Diplacido field, including turf restoration, irrigation upgrades 420 and ADA-compliant seating; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the 421 town of Dedham for light and sound abatement along the Providence highway of the Dedham 422 mall; provided further, that not less than $10,000 shall be expended to the Malden YWCA for 20 of 225 423 supportive services and programming, including but not limited to financial coaching services, 424 financial literacy workshops, webinars and educational resources; provided further, that not less 425 than $500,000 shall be expended to the Brookline teen center for facility upgrades consistent 426 with the YMCA of Greater Boston merger; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 427 expended to the town of Plainville for the installation of green infrastructure and electric vehicle 428 charging stations; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of 429 Dedham for pest mitigation under the Harris street bridge; provided further, that not less than 430 $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Tyngsborough for economic development; provided 431 further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the town of Dudley for formal planning 432 and contingency work related to the town's gateway revitalization plan; provided further, that not 433 less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of Worcester for the redevelopment of Lincoln 434 square; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the city of Medford for 435 instructional and curriculum materials for students; provided further, that not less than $150,000 436 shall be expended to the city of Medford for stormwater management, tree planting and other 437 park improvements at Tufts park; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended 438 to the town of Mattapoisett for the establishment of an affordable housing trust and the 439 development of a housing production plan; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 440 expended to the Somerville housing authority for an upgraded field at mystic river view housing 441 in Somerville; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to town of 442 Belchertown for housing and related facilities at the former Belchertown state school campus; 443 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the city of Lowell for the 444 installation of seating, bus shelters and related pedestrian improvements at public transit stops 445 throughout the city to improve accessibility, comfort and safety for transit riders; provided 21 of 225 446 further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the town of Southbridge for the 447 renovation of 39 Elm street; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to 448 the Wendell Historical Society for the purpose of facility improvements to the Wendell History 449 Museum; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of 450 Rochester for planning, engineering, environmental review, permitting and preliminary design of 451 a regional shared-use path connecting Rochester to the Marion shared-use path and advancing 452 regional trail connectivity to support economic development, tourism and access to local 453 businesses; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston 454 for heat pump conversion and repairs at Orchard Gardens school in the Roxbury section of the 455 city of Boston; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the Town of 456 Belchertown for the purpose of improvements to the Belchertown cultural district; provided 457 further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the city of Lowell for the planning, 458 design and construction of sidewalk improvements along Western avenue in the Acre 459 neighborhood to improve pedestrian accessibility and safety, increase public access to local arts 460 and cultural destinations, support the creative economy and local artists, and create a more 461 welcoming and vibrant corridor for residents and visitors; provided further, that not less than 462 $500,000 shall be expended to the town of Marion for town center revitalization and pedestrian 463 safety improvements within the village corridor from Island wharf to Silvershell beach, 464 including, but not limited to, sidewalk reconstruction, ADA upgrades, curb cuts, and utility pole 465 relocation to improve connectivity between the town center, waterfront and public beach 466 facilities and support economic activity and visitor access; provided further, that not less than 467 $250,000 shall be expended to Hope Community Development Corporation in the city of 468 Springfield; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Lowell 22 of 225 469 for the planning, design, renovation, expansion and capital improvements of emergency 470 homeless shelter facilities to increase shelter capacity and improve access to safe, temporary 471 housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness; provided further, that not less 472 than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Brockton for construction of a sidewalk on Court 473 street from the city line to the intersection with Quincy street; provided further, that not less than 474 $500,000 shall be expended for Route 203 Safety Improvements to make Franklin park 475 accessible with sidewalks that connect from Harvard street to Forest Hills street in the Mattapan, 476 Dorchester and Jamacia Plain sections of the city of Boston; provided further, that not less than 477 $80,000 shall be expended to the town of Acushnet to conduct a planning and zoning study of 478 the downtown South Main street/Main street corridor to evaluate development potential and 479 create a new mixed-use zoning district that supports economic development and downtown 480 revitalization; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended to the Worcester 481 Open Streets Program to encourage walking, biking and other forms of active transportation; 482 provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for 483 renovations at South Boston high school in the South Boston section of the city of Boston; 484 provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to Springfield Partners for 485 Community Action, Inc.; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the 486 town of Sudbury for consulting services to modify the Village Business District: increasing the 487 area of the zoning district, amending allowed uses to reflect the contemporary economy through 488 mixed use development along Boston Post road (route 20) from Massasoit avenue, to Fire 489 Station No. 2; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to complete 490 phase 2 restorations at Hazelwood park in the South End section of the city of New Bedford, 491 which shall include, but not be limited to, the creation of new playground facilities for children, 23 of 225 492 construction of a community amphitheater and upgrades to the historic Congdon-Lucas House; 493 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to Springfield Bright Minds; 494 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Sandisfield for the 495 engineering phase and associated costs of replacing the Buck river bridge, a critical public safety 496 route serving EMS, fire services and the town's nursing home; provided further, that not less than 497 $100,000 shall be expended to Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires Inc. for costs associated with 498 the transition to the Commonwealth Benefits Collaborative, a statewide health insurance 499 initiative designed to help nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts; provided further, that not 500 less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Washington for urgent repairs to the roof of 501 the historic Old Town Hall; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the 502 town of Auburn for the installation of lighting and associated equipment to enhance Goddard 503 park as a major gateway and celebration space; provided further, that not less than $10,000 shall 504 be expended to Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. for supportive career 505 development and financial services and programming, including but not limited to tax assistance 506 services, financial literacy, youth internship programs, employment and job training services; 507 provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the town of Charlton for the 508 engineering, design and fieldwork associated with the development of a municipal light plant for 509 a program to improve internet service and delivery; provided further, that not less than $100,000 510 shall be expended to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to produce a study 511 regarding potential air rights over the Massachusetts Turnpike for the section that runs through 512 the city of Newton; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the city of 513 Newton for the design and construction of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and safety 514 improvements to enhance connectivity and improve walkability between both sides of 24 of 225 515 Washington street in Newton Corner that are divided by the Massachusetts Turnpike; provided 516 further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the New Bedford Art Museum for 517 museum renovations; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the city of 518 Newton Arts and Culture Department to assist with the creation of the West Newton Cultural 519 District; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended for the restoration of the 520 Strand Theatre/Cape Verdean Association in New Bedford, Inc.’s cultural center to foster the 521 economic development and cultural exchange relationships between the city of New Bedford and 522 Cabo Verde while providing education, arts and cultural programs for youth; provided further, 523 that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden 524 Museum in New Bedford for a wheelchair lift and accessibility improvements to the museum; 525 provided further, that not less than $70,000 shall be expended to the town of Chelmsford for 526 watershed assessments and studies of stormwater, culvert and drainage infrastructure needs, 527 including but not limited to the Sandra drive and Donna road watershed area, to identify 528 infrastructure needs related to future climate and flooding scenarios; provided further, that not 529 less than $5,000,000 shall be expended to construct shore power at Foss New Bedford Marine 530 Terminal to support the economic competitiveness and innovation of the maritime sector; 531 provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the city of Westfield for urban 532 renewal and industrial park development; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 533 expended to the city of Malden for transportation improvement projects aimed to boost economic 534 activity in vital neighborhoods, including commercial corridors and the downtown district; 535 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the New Art Center for 536 emergency repairs and longer-term restoration and renovation of the New Art Center building; 537 provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to Child Care of the Berkshires, 25 of 225 538 Inc.; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Everett for the 539 planting and maintenance of street trees; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 540 expended to the city of Everett for the construction of a floating boardwalk, creating a 541 connection between Rivergreen park and Village Landing park; provided further, that not less 542 than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Everett for the construction of a boardwalk in 543 Gateway park; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the Greylock 544 Glen environmental conference center; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 545 expended to the town of Blackstone for the economic development and revitalization of Main 546 street; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Bellingham 547 for the economic development and revitalization of Pulaski boulevard; provided further, that not 548 less than $100,000 shall be expended the town of Uxbridge for the economic development and 549 revitalization of the town center; provided further, that not less than $75,000 shall be expended 550 to the town of Millville for the economic development and revitalization of the town center; 551 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the St. Jean Baptiste project in 552 Lynn for the construction, fit-out and improvement of commercial space, supportive services, 553 workforce and financial skills training and coaching to residents of affordable housing; provided 554 further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the Adams Housing Authority for a fire 555 suppression system; provided further, that not less than $350,000 shall be expended to the 556 Northern Berkshire Community Coalition; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be 557 expended to the Images Cinema in Williamstown; provided further, that not less than $250,000 558 shall be expended to the West Newton Cinema Foundation for restoration and renovation of the 559 historic West Newton Cinema; provided further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to 560 the town of Southampton to develop and maintain 52 acres located in the town center for 26 of 225 561 economic development for mixed use commercial and affordable housing, along with developing 562 city services within the land; provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to 563 Williamstown Meetinghouse Preservation Fund, Inc.; provided further, that not less than 564 $125,000 shall be expended to the city of Newton for economic development projects, including 565 village center revitalization and foot traffic initiatives, construction remediation for small 566 businesses, and other projects; provided further, that not less than $125,000 shall be expended to 567 the city of Newton to support arts and culture projects and programming; provided further, that 568 not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the executive office of housing and livable 569 communities to assist with the redevelopment, renovation, and site improvements of 570 underutilized properties in the communities of the First Berkshire representative district, as 571 defined in section 4 of chapter 57 of the General Laws, for the purposes of providing additional 572 housing capacity for first time homebuyers; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall 573 be expended to the city of Peabody for the acquisition and development of land and water 574 resources belonging to the former Rousselot Peabody Inc. in Peabody; provided further, that not 575 less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for the Huntington avenue redesign 576 coordination with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Mission Hill section of 577 the city of Boston; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the town of 578 Reading for the design and implementation of the Walkers Brook Drive Redesign Project; 579 provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Woburn for the 580 design and construction of a pedestrian bridge at the Anderson Regional Transportation Center; 581 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Dighton for the 582 modernization efforts to the aging highway department and its equipment in the town of 583 Dighton; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the Woburn Golf and 27 of 225 584 Ski Authority for water delivery system improvements, including irrigation; provided further, 585 that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Somerset Historical Society for repairs and 586 improvements; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the Samuel 587 Adams Elementary School for renovations in the East Boston section of the city of Boston; 588 provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to La Colaborativa for their 589 Economic Development Center; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended 590 to Everett Haitian Community Center for the purchase of an office space to support economic 591 and workforce development for Haitians; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be 592 expended to the Caribbean Integration Community Development, Inc. in Mattapan for 593 programming; provided further, that not less than $260,000 shall be expended to the town of 594 Medfield for pipe and manhole rehabilitation construction costs; provided further, that not less 595 than $150,000 shall be expended to the Community Economic Development Center (CEDC) of 596 New Bedford for the Building Pathways South pre-apprenticeship program in Taunton; provided 597 further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the city of Amesbury for streetscaping 598 and placemaking improvements in the Lower Millyard.; provided further, that not less than 599 $100,000 shall be expended to the Brighton Main Streets, Inc. mural revitalization program; 600 provided further, that not less than $10,000 shall be expended to the Mystic Valley YMCA for 601 new equipment and the continued operation of the Malden YMCA Food Market; provided 602 further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the town of North Andover for planning 603 and improvement studies downtown; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be 604 expended to the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce, Inc. to support economic development, 605 tourism promotion, small business assistance, organizational capacity building and activities 606 associated with the development and implementation of a tourism management district; provided 28 of 225 607 further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the town of Middleton for the 608 redevelopment of the old Middleton Fire Station Parcel in the heart of Middleton Square; 609 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Danvers for the 610 construction of the Rail Trail Crossing on Maple street in Danvers; provided further, that not less 611 than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Revere for the planning, development, 612 establishment, operation and support of a regional food hub; provided further, that not less than 613 $50,000 shall be expended to the Revere Chamber of Commerce to support economic 614 development, tourism promotion, small business assistance, organizational capacity building and 615 activities associated with the development and implementation of a tourism management district; 616 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Marblehead for an 617 economic growth and parking optimization plan, including economic development planning, a 618 market and local asset assessment, and a parking analysis for the town’s business districts; 619 provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the town of Swampscott for 620 the public development and redevelopment of the waterfront property formerly occupied by 621 Hawthorne by the Sea, including planning, design, site preparation, public open-space 622 improvements, infrastructure and related economic development purposes; provided further, that 623 not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Wayland for their United States 624 Highway Route 20 corridor economic development plan; provided further, that not less than 625 $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Georgetown for water and wastewater infrastructure 626 for downtown development; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended for 627 Mattapan/ Greater Boston Technology Learning Center, Inc. to support costs including but not 628 limited to personnel, employee salaries and related expenses, expansion of workforce 629 development programming, digital literacy training, youth STEM programs, and community- 29 of 225 630 based technology initiatives serving residents of Roxbury, Mattapan, Dorchester, Hyde Park, and 631 the Greater Boston area; provided further, that not less than $195,000 shall be expended for the 632 purpose of promoting economic development and making improvements in the town of Upton; 633 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Hamilton for 634 completion of renovations to the historic Town Hall, provided further, that not less than 635 $500,000 shall be expended to the city known as the town of Winthrop to support economic 636 development, tourism promotion, small business assistance by revitalizing historic French 637 Square; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the Sports Museum of 638 New England, Inc. for the enhancement of their Museum Boston v. Bullies program; provided 639 further, that not less than $195,000 shall be expended for the purpose of promoting economic 640 development and making improvements in the town of Northbridge; provided further, that not 641 less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Newbury for improvements to the site of the 642 Larkin Dam Removal Project, the Plum Island shoreline and other natural resource areas; 643 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the Representative Doris Bunte 644 Scholarship Fund, which is managed and disbursed by the Massachusetts Black and Latino 645 Legislative Caucus; provided further, that a portion of said funds may be expended for the 646 creation of a commemorative memorial portrait in the Massachusetts State House in honor of 647 State Representative Doris Bunte; provided further, that the superintendent of the bureau of the 648 state house shall, subject to the approval of the art commission for the state house, established in 649 section 6 of chapter 20 of the General Laws, as to size and content, install and maintain a portrait 650 in a suitable space in the Massachusetts State House; provided further, that when determining the 651 location of such portrait, the art commission for the state house shall consult with the house 652 committee on rules and the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus; provided 30 of 225 653 further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended for downtown Methuen for the restoration 654 and adaptive re-use of the historic Edward F. Searles Estate; provided further, that not less than 655 $500,000 shall be expended to downtown Methuen for facade improvements in historic 656 downtown Methuen; provided further, that not less than $2,500,000 shall be expended to the city 657 of Revere for the construction of Route 1A improvements at Tomasello way located in Revere 658 and Boston; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to Methuen for road, 659 sidewalk and traffic safety improvements in the commercial corridor on Pelham street at Cross 660 street in Methuen; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of 661 Rowley for water infrastructure within the town to support housing and economic growth; 662 provided further, that not less than $195,000 shall be expended for the purpose of promoting 663 economic development and making improvements in the town of Grafton; provided further, that 664 not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Topsfield for improvements to water 665 infrastructure in support of housing and economic growth; provided further, that not less than 666 $300,000 shall be expended to the Keefe Regional Technical School for post-graduate grants to 667 enable chapter 74 Career and Technical graduates, advancing in their own careers and not 668 enrolled in higher education, for training, certification, licensure, and equipment to facilitate 669 future economic development and wealth creation opportunities; provided further, that not less 670 than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Brockton to repurpose the existing Central Fire 671 Station (Station #1) on Pleasant street building upon its vacancy; provided further, that not less 672 than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the department of correction for the purpose of continuing 673 and expanding its work in reducing recidivism through the deployment of technology solutions 674 that improve case management efficiency and support successful reentry outcomes; provided 675 further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of Lawrence for 31 of 225 676 improvements to Campagnone Common to support downtown revitalization efforts and to attract 677 small businesses; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of 678 Brockton for the support of downtown revitalization efforts.; provided further, that not less than 679 $50,000 shall be expended to the town of Danvers for planning and infrastructure improvements 680 to address the safe use of sidewalks, streets, rail trails, and paths in anticipation of micromobility 681 safety measures; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to commercial 682 shellfish harvesters be put in reserve to mitigate the economic loss to commercial shellfish 683 harvesters impacted by the Haverhill sewer main break in the Merrimack river in the summer of 684 2026; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be expended to the United States 685 Capoeira Federation (USCF) Massachusetts Tournament to host teams from all over the world in 686 Massachusetts; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of 687 Lawrence to remediate and restore the Merrimack Paper Site, to utilize this space for economic 688 development initiatives; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the 689 town of Andover for improvement to town-owned historic buildings to support economic 690 development initiatives in the downtown area; provided further, that not less than $400,000 shall 691 be expended to the city of Pittsfield for the Reconnecting Communities Project to reestablish a 692 pedestrian way that was severed during urban renewal; provided further, that not less than 693 $500,000 shall be expended to Tufts University for the Center for Maternal Health 694 Advancement; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of 695 Pittsfield for the development of the William Stanley Business Park; provided further, that not 696 less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Brockton for road work, trails, stormwater 697 management, parking lot expansion and safety improvements at D.W. Field Park; provided 698 further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Brockton for transportation, 32 of 225 699 bike and walkability improvement projects aimed to boost economic activity in the downtown; 700 provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city of Boston for 701 renovations at Brighton High School in Brighton; provided further, that not less than $250,000 702 shall be expended to the town of Fairhaven for, but not limited to, planning, feasibility studies, 703 site assessment, engineering, environmental review, surveying, infrastructure evaluation, 704 permitting and preliminary design necessary to identify, evaluate and prepare municipally-owned 705 and other strategic properties for commercial, industrial, mixed-use, marine-related and other 706 economic development opportunities that support private investment, job creation and expansion 707 of the local tax base; provided further, that not less than $25,000 shall be expended to the town 708 of Harvard for developing an energy consortium to lower energy costs, including but not limited 709 to creating and developing a feasibility study and constructing a solar power plant in the town of 710 Harvard, and other related expenses; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 711 expended to the town of Tewksbury for any costs related to improving and repairing the town's 712 sewer infrastructure; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the 713 STEMatch COMPETE Program; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended 714 to the Winchendon Redevelopment Authority to support the business and industrial park 715 development on Route 140 in the town of Winchendon; provided further, that not less than 716 $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Gardner to support housing development in the Rear 717 Main Redevelopment Project in downtown Gardner; provided further, that not less than $70,000 718 shall be expended to the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail for investments in the physical trail and 719 for technology to enhance digital programming; provided further, that not less than $100,000 720 shall be expended to the town of Ipswich for infrastructure to facilitate economic development in 721 downtown Ipswich; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the town of 33 of 225 722 Hull to support the investments of the Hull Beautification Committee to invite tourism into the 723 main street economy; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to new 724 lights at Harris Field in the town of Belmont; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall 725 be expended to the inclusion of combined sewer overflow mitigation measures in the 726 redevelopment of the Alewife Garage; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be 727 expended to the town of Cohasset for investments in Cohasset Town Center; provided further, 728 that not less than $125,000 shall be expended to the city of Woburn Main Street makeover grant 729 program which includes grants for facades, awnings, and signs; provided further, that not less 730 than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Haverhill for upgrades to sewer treatment 731 infrastructure in the city; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the 732 city of Brockton to support programming and staff at the council on aging; provided further, that 733 not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the Hingham Historical Society to steward 734 investments in the Downtown Hingham Overlay District; provided further, that not less than 735 $200,000 shall be expended to the town of Carlisle for the design and construction of Carlisle 736 town center sidewalk infrastructure; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 737 expended to the city of Haverhill for Haverhill City Hall improvements, including but not limited 738 to the auditorium to support arts and culture programming; provided further, that not less than 739 $100,000 shall be expended to the city known as the town of Amherst to support fire station 740 modernization activities including, but not limited to, fire station construction or renovation; 741 provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the city known as the town 742 of Amherst for road repairs; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to 743 the planning and development of the housing authority in the town of Abington; provided 744 further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the repair and maintenance of an 34 of 225 745 educational public facility located in the Strathmore Road neighborhood of the Brighton section 746 of the city of Boston; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to East 747 Boston Main Streets for their work supporting local businesses and fostering vibrant main streets 748 and business corridors in East Boston; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 749 expended to design review funding, including zoning and regulatory review, for Bradford Square 750 in the city of Haverhill; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 751 town of Granby to support the consolidation of municipal offices in a renovated and centralized 752 location, including the Granby Senior Center; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 753 shall be expended to the town of West Springfield for the improvement of accessibility and 754 interconnectivity of bike trail infrastructure; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 755 expended to Ancestral Bridges in the city known as the town of Amherst to support the 756 development and execution of a marketing plan to attract visitors to the organization and to the 757 town; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to Ancestral Bridges in the 758 city known as the town of Amherst to support the development and execution of a marketing 759 plan to attract visitors to the organization and to the town; provided further, that not less than 760 $100,000 shall be expended to Amherst Cinema in the city known as the town of Amherst to 761 support the development of marketing infrastructure to attract visitors to the organization and to 762 the town, including the development of a new website; provided further, that not less than 763 $100,000 shall be expended to the Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce for expanding access to 764 small and medium sized businesses in Peabody; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 765 shall be expended to the town of Weymouth for economic development; provided further, that 766 not less than $60,000 shall be expended to the Amherst Business Improvement District in the 767 city known as the town of Amherst to support the first phase of construction of a performance 35 of 225 768 shell on the Amherst town Common; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be 769 expended to the town of Weymouth for the expansion of the adult career technology education 770 program; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Hispanic 771 American Institute for their work, including, but not limited to, the Immigrant Business 772 Accelerator and the Immigrant Small Business Legal and Development Initiative; provided 773 further, that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to the Newton housing authority for capital 774 improvements to Jackson Gardens located on Kennedy Circle and Greens street in the city of 775 Newton; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to the city of Revere for 776 the expansion and improvement of Gibson Park, including the redevelopment of the former 777 boatyard property, demolition, site preparation, public open space improvements, shoreline 778 access enhancements and the establishment of a community boating center; provided further, that 779 not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the North and South Rivers Watershed Association 780 for permitting, design and construction associated with the Association’s River Center plan, 781 including the construction of a boardwalk and dock to support environmental education, 782 stewardship and monitoring; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to 783 WeReach in East Boston for their workforce development and equity programs; provided 784 further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the Irish Pastoral Centre Boston for cost 785 associated with promoting cultural education and economic development, provided further, that 786 not less than $30,000 shall be expended to the town of Princeton for infrastructure modernization 787 and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance mitigation; provided further, that not less than $30,000 788 shall be expended to the renovation and rehabilitation of 10 West street in the town of Paxton for 789 the development of a community center; provided further, that not less than $30,000 shall be 790 expended to planning, design and implementation of activities related to the enhancement of the 36 of 225 791 town of Rutland’s village center and the promotion of economic development within the town; 792 provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to Harbor Place in Haverhill to 793 support the construction, fit-out and improvement of commercial space for enhanced economic 794 and workforce development; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to 795 the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail in the town of Weymouth for the extension of the trail and to 796 promote economic development; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended 797 to the Marshfield Chamber of Commerce for the continuation of its Open for Business 798 promotional program to support small businesses; provided further, that not less than $100,000 799 shall be expended to the town of East Bridgewater for the design and implementation of a 800 downtown improvement plan; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to 801 the town of East Bridgewater for the public safety building feasibility study; provided further, 802 that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to an academic medical center in the city of 803 Springfield to accelerate regional job creation and economic development in western 804 Massachusetts, secure critical capital infrastructure, provide facility modernization and clinical 805 capacity expansion related to the acquisition of a community hospital in said city; provided 806 further, that not less than $95,000 shall be expended to the town of Tewksbury for the purchase 807 of a department of public works dump truck and like vehicles to replace essential vehicles to 808 ensure safe and reliable road maintenance; provided further, that not less than $1,500,000 shall 809 be expended to the city of Worcester for accessibility improvements as part of the redevelopment 810 of the Worcester Memorial Auditorium into a multipurpose, technology-forward, artificial 811 intelligence innovation center and entertainment facility; provided further, that not less than 812 $250,000 shall be expended to HVAC improvements at the Melrose Public Schools; provided 813 further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended for bathroom accessibility upgrades at 37 of 225 814 Melrose City Hall; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the city of 815 Melrose for interior renovations to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall; provided further, that not 816 less than $100,000 shall be expended to the town of Danvers and North Shore Community 817 College to conduct a feasibility study on the transportation connections from the Danvers NSCC 818 campus to Danvers Square; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the 819 town of Wakefield to support economic development projects and initiatives including but not 820 limited to those that advance the Town's efforts to support its small business community and 821 enhance its commercial districts; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended 822 to the town of West Bridgewater to support programming and staff at the Council on Aging; 823 provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Waltham Housing 824 Authority for capital improvements at 48 Pine St. in the city of Waltham; provided further, that 825 not less than $60,000 shall be expended to the Western Massachusetts Economic Development 826 Council (EDC) to support regional economic development efforts focused on food science, 827 entrepreneurship and advanced manufacturing; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall 828 be expended to the town of Holden for the renovation and relocation of the fire substation; 829 provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the town of Wenham for its 830 Downtown Vibrancy initiative; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to 831 the Iron Horse Music Hall to support economic development and tourism promotion; provided 832 further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Waltham Housing Authority for 833 capital improvements at 326-340 Grove St. in the city of Waltham; provided further, that not less 834 than $200,000 shall be expended to the city of Springfield for lighting and security 835 improvements in the North End bike path; provided further, that not less than $4,000,000 shall be 836 expended to the city of Fall River for a parking garage to support the Davol Street/Route 79 38 of 225 837 economic development project; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended 838 for a planning grant for the further development and expansion of the MWRA’s water delivery 839 system; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of 840 Wilmington for the design and construction of multimodal access and upgrade or replacement of 841 roads/entrances for all transportation modes at the North Intermediate School project; provided 842 further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Goshen to support economic 843 development and tourism promotion; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 844 expended to the city of Beverly for revitalization and activation of the Bass River and Waterfront 845 districts as mixed-use walkable areas; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be 846 expended to the city of Lynn for improvements of the Seaport Landing Marina; provided further, 847 that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the MBTA and MassDOT to design and 848 approvals for portions of the Grand Junction Path where right-of-way concerns have yet to be 849 resolved in the city of Cambridge; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be 850 expended to the city of Springfield for the planning, development, enhancement and promotion 851 of the Indian Orchard Food & Arts Cultural District to strengthen the neighborhood as a regional 852 destination for dining, arts, culture, entertainment, and small business growth; provided further, 853 that the city of Springfield shall partner with the Latino Economic Development Corporation to 854 lead and implement the initiative, including business/restaurant recruitment and retention, 855 technical assistance, marketing and branding, placemaking, public events, façade and streetscape 856 enhancements and other economic development activities that support the district’s long-term 857 vitality; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the city of Newton for 858 improvements to the Newton Centre Plaza outdoor gathering space including for outdoor 859 amenities, wayfinding to direct foot traffic, streetscape and lighting improvements and other 39 of 225 860 improvements to support local business activity; provided further, that not less than $250,000 861 shall be expended to the town of Cummington to support economic development through the 862 redevelopment of the Berkshire Trail Elementary School; provided further, that not less than 863 $120,000 shall be expended to the University of Massachusetts Amherst for a mural project in 864 the city of Springfield; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the 865 town of West Boylston for improvements related to water and sewer infrastructure necessary to 866 support existing business and enable future commercial growth; provided further, that not less 867 than $200,000 shall be expended to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Massachusetts 868 Chapter (CAIR-MA, INC) to provide litigation support and legal assistance for indigent victims 869 of religious harassment and discrimination; provided further, that not less than $230,000 shall be 870 expended to the town of Lincoln for a comprehensive economic development/strategic plan; 871 provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the Wilmington housing 872 authority in the town of Wilmington for the purposes of making improvements and revitalizing 873 the authority’s public housing stock; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall be 874 expended to the city of Northampton to support local businesses during the Picture Main Street 875 redesign project; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be expended to the Eric Carle 876 Museum of Picture Book Art in the city known as the town of Amherst to support the purchase 877 and installation of ADA accessible sliding doors for the museum’s entryway; provided further, 878 that not less than $250,000 shall be expended to the town of Belmont for clocks and a PA system 879 at Chenery School; provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended to Barnstable 880 County’s Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Technology Center to evaluate the feasibility 881 of using urine diverting eco-toilet systems to reduce nutrient pollution in nitrogen sensitive areas 882 of the lower and outer region of Cape Cod; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 40 of 225 883 expended to the Watertown housing authority for capital improvements to E. Joyce Munger on 884 Warren street in the city of Watertown; provided further, that not less than $100,000 shall be 885 expended to the Watertown housing authority for capital improvements to Woodland Towers in 886 the city of Watertown; provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the 887 town of Winchester for the town's downtown and light industrial revitalization; provided further, 888 that not less than $150,000 shall be expended to the town of Westminster for development and 889 event infrastructure improvements to Academy Hill; provided further, that not less than $250,000 890 shall be expended to the Belchertown Water District for groundwater and water district 891 expansion work; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended to the city of 892 Newton for a study of ways to support economic development by integrating the Wells Park 893 commercial area with the University of Massachusetts Charles River Campus; provided further, 894 that not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended to the town of Stoneham for downtown 895 revitalization and the small business grant program; provided further, that not less than $200,000 896 shall be expended to the town of Arlington for the installation of electric vehicle charging 897 stations in the East Arlington business district; provided further, that not less than $250,000 shall 898 be expended to Gore Place in Waltham to preserve historic open space and support community 899 programming; provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be expended to the town of 900 Arlington for streetscape improvements in the East Arlington business district; provided further, 901 that not less than $5,000,000 shall be expended to the Commonwealth Zoological Corporation 902 established in section 2 of chapter 92B of the General Laws for costs associated with the 903 preparation of plans, studies and specifications, repairs, construction, renovations, 904 improvements, maintenance, asset management and demolition and other capital improvements 905 including those necessary for the operation of facilities operated by Zoo New England, including 41 of 225 906 the Franklin Park Zoo and the Walter D. Stone Memorial Zoo; provided further, that not less 907 than $250,000 shall be expended to the city of Newton to pilot temporary, safe and accessible 908 transportation for Newton’s senior residents, including but not limited to those residing at Golda 909 Meir House & the Nahanton Campus, to ensure reliable access to area businesses and parts of the 910 city no longer accessible by public transportation; provided further, that not less than $100,000 911 shall be expended to the town of Plymouth for the workforce development for the Plymouth 912 Public School Career Technical Education Program; provided further, that not less than $250,000 913 shall be expended to the city of Beverly for improvements to city properties, including but not 914 limited to the Lynch Park Carriage House and Beverly Golf and Tennis Club, that prioritize 915 economic activity, municipal revenue, environmental sustainability, historic preservation and 916 increased recreational and community use; and provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall 917 be expended to the city of Springfield to create a strategic community-based agenda to address 918 youth and gun violence in Springfield that requires a comprehensive approach and emphasizes 919 prevention, community engagement and mental health support…..…….$135,497,085 920 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 921 Office of the Secretary 922 7003-8088 For the executive office of labor and workforce development for a grant 923 program to support commonwealth-based employers in assisting current or former employees 924 who were authorized to work pursuant to the federal Temporary Protected Status program to 925 obtain alternate work authorization in a manner consistent with federal law; provided, that grants 926 shall be awarded in a manner that prioritizes current or former employees with experience in 927 high-demand or difficult to staff occupations, including but not limited to health care and related 42 of 225 928 fields; provided further, that grants shall be awarded in a manner that prioritizes geographic areas 929 in which it is most difficult for employers to find adequate numbers of employees in said high- 930 demand or difficult to staff occupations; and provided further, that not later than April 1, 2027, 931 the secretary of labor and workforce development shall produce a report to the house and senate 932 committees on ways and means, which shall include all grants awarded, including the amounts of 933 the grants, along with the secretary’s analysis of the impact of the grants on the ability of 934 employees to fill high-demand or difficult to staff occupations and recommendations regarding 935 the advisability of continuing the program along with recommendations regarding the 936 implementation thereof.....................................................$500,000 937 938 939 EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND LIVABLE COMMUNITIES 940 Office of the Secretary 941 7004-0092 For grants and technical assistance for municipalities for the conversion of 942 commercial properties into residential housing …………………………….……..$50,000,000 943 7004-0094 For the veterans supported housing initiative program established in 944 section 35 of chapter 23B of the General Laws; provided, that the executive office of housing 945 and livable communities shall partner with a qualified non-profit organization, as defined in said 946 section 35 of said chapter 23B, to implement and operate the program; and provided further, that 947 the qualified non-profit organization shall receive not more than $20,000 in a 12-month period 948 for each eligible veteran…………………………………………….….……$20,000,000 43 of 225 949 7004-0095 For grants to support remediation efforts at former state-owned buildings; 950 provided, that grants shall be to support housing development projects on lands and in buildings 951 previously owned by the commonwealth and that require asbestos, lead or hazardous material 952 demolition and remediation; and provided further, that the secretary of housing and livable 953 communities, in consultation with the department of environmental protection, shall report to the 954 clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the house and senate committees on 955 ways and means all grants awarded, including the amounts of the 956 grants…………................................................................................................…$50,000,000 957

SECTION 3. Section 204 of chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 958 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 20 and 21, the words “but shall not 959 serve for longer than 8 consecutive years”. 960 SECTION 4. Section 16I of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 961 amended by striking out, in line 13, the words “housing and”. 962 SECTION 5. Said section 16I of said chapter 6A, as so appearing, is hereby further 963 amended by striking out, in line 20, the word “community” and inserting in place thereof the 964 following word:- economic. 965

SECTION 6. Section 35FF of chapter 10 of the General Laws is hereby repealed. 966 SECTION 6A. Section 55 of chapter 13 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 967 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- 968 The board shall publish, not less than annually: (i) an account of newly licensed 969 members; (ii) a summary of complaints filed against licensed members; (iii) the actions taken by 44 of 225 970 the board to investigate such complaints, disciplinary hearings, disciplinary actions or 971 suspensions or revocations of licenses; and (iv) the reason for such actions by the board, pursuant 972 to clause (iii), including any findings, in which the finding has become final, of discrimination 973 against any classes protected by chapter 151B or otherwise protected by any other general or 974 special law or federal statute, and the name of the affected license holder. 975

SECTION 7. Chapter 23 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following 976 section:- 977 Section 28. (a) The secretary of labor and workforce development, in consultation with 978 the secretary of education and the secretary economic development, shall produce a report every 979 other year, in even-numbered years, on the current status of the commonwealth’s job market and 980 an analysis of the labor market need for the following 5-year period. The report and analysis 981 shall provide necessary information to ensure the economic competitiveness of the 982 commonwealth, including guiding decision-making within agencies related to policy adoption 983 and development and state funding investments. The report shall include, but shall not be limited 984 to: 985 (i) recommendations related to policies and investments to ensure the commonwealth has 986 the necessary workforce to address any known or reasonably anticipated future labor market 987 needs, including identification of business sectors poised to experience growth and anticipated 988 gaps in filling employment need in such sectors; 989 (ii) a progress report on the status of career pathway programs in the commonwealth’s 990 high schools, institutions of higher education and workforce training programs in targeted 991 industries; and 45 of 225 992 (iii) an analysis of data regarding the skills required for jobs in key industries as 993 identified by the secretary of labor and workforce development or enumerated in line item 7002- 994 8070 of section 2 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024. 995 (b) Bi-annually, not later than December 31, the secretary of labor and workforce 996 development, in consultation with the secretary of education and the secretary of economic 997 development, shall make the report, and any recommendations, available to the public on the 998 executive office of labor and workforce development’s website and shall submit the report to: (i) 999 the governor; (ii) any relevant state agencies, as determined by the secretary of labor and 1000 workforce development; and (iii) the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the 1001 house and senate committees on ways and means and the chairs of the joint committee on labor 1002 and workforce development. 1003 SECTION 7A. Section 3E of chapter 23A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 1004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 10 to 12, inclusive, the words “or 1005 (iii) a private project or investment that contributes significantly to the resiliency of the local 1006 economy” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- (iii) the creation of new housing 1007 units; or (iv) a private project or investment that contributes significantly to the resiliency of the 1008 local economy. 1009 SECTION 7B. Said section 3E of said chapter 23A, as so appearing, is hereby further 1010 amended by adding the following subsection:- 1011 (d) If a municipality offers tax increment financing to the owner of a residential or 1012 mixed-use real estate project, the municipality shall notify the executive office of housing and 46 of 225 1013 livable communities by submitting a fully executed copy of the adopted local incentive 1014 agreement and any amendments thereto. 1015

SECTION 8. Chapter 23B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 1016 following section:- 1017 Section 37. (a) The executive office of housing and livable communities shall establish a 1018 training program for members of local planning boards, special permit granting authorities and 1019 zoning boards of appeals to provide education and self-evaluation. The training program shall be 1020 an annual training that is offered at no cost to municipalities. In developing the training program, 1021 the executive office shall consult with the Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors, Inc., 1022 the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies, the Massachusetts Chapter of the 1023 American Planning Association, Inc. and the Citizen Planner Training Collaborative. The 1024 training program shall cover: (i) special permits; (ii) subdivision control; (iii) variances; (iv) fair 1025 housing; and (v) any other laws that govern the role and responsibility of the local planning 1026 board. To the extent practicable, the training programs shall be offered online and in various 1027 locations throughout the commonwealth, at various times of the year. 1028 (b) Each member of a local planning board, special permit granting authority and zoning 1029 board of appeals shall, not later than 60 days after becoming a board member, and every 2 years 1030 thereafter, complete the training program. Each member shall, upon completion of the training 1031 program, provide notice to the town or city clerk and such notice shall be retained for 6 years. 1032

SECTION 9. Section 5 of chapter 23I of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 1033 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 37, the word “3F” and inserting in 1034 place thereof the following word:- 3C. 47 of 225 1035 SECTION 10. Subsection (b) of said section 5 of said chapter 23I, as so appearing, is 1036 hereby amended by adding the following 2 sentences:- The decision by the center to certify or 1037 deny certification of a life sciences company and the decision to award or deny any incentives 1038 pursuant to subsections (c) or (d), including, but not limited to, the amount of such award and 1039 any conditions or limitations on such authorization, shall be decisions that are in the sole 1040 discretion of the center. The decision by the center shall be final and shall not be subject to 1041 administrative appeal or judicial review pursuant to chapter 30A or give rise to any other cause 1042 of action or legal or equitable claim or remedy. 1043

SECTION 11. Said section 5 of said chapter 23I, as so appearing, is hereby further 1044 amended by striking out subsection (d) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 1045 (d)(1) There shall be established a life sciences tax incentive program. The center, in 1046 consultation with the department, may authorize incentives, including incentives carried forward 1047 or refunded pursuant to subsections (m), (n) and (r) of section 6 of chapter 62, paragraph 17 of 1048 section 30 of chapter 63, section 31M of said chapter 63, subsection (f) of section 38 of said 1049 chapter 63, subsection (k) of section 38M of said chapter 63, section 38U of said chapter 63, 1050 section 38V of said chapter 63, section 38W of said chapter 63, section 38CC of said chapter 63, 1051 the second paragraph of subsection (c) of section 42B of said chapter 63 and subsection (xx) of 1052 section 6 of chapter 64H in a cumulative amount, including the current year cost of incentives 1053 allowed in previous years, that shall not exceed $40,000,000 annually. The center may authorize 1054 incentives to a life sciences company that spans multiple years if the total amount of incentives 1055 due to be taken in any single calendar year does not exceed the applicable cap. The center shall 1056 determine the amount and type of any such incentive to authorize and the schedule on which 1057 those incentives may be claimed. The center may, in consultation with the department, limit any 48 of 225 1058 incentive to a specific dollar amount or time duration or in any other manner deemed appropriate 1059 by the department; provided, however, that the department shall only allocate any such 1060 incentives among commonwealth certified life sciences companies pursuant to subsection (b) 1061 and shall award such tax incentives pursuant to subsection (c). 1062 (2) The center shall provide an estimate to the secretary of administration and finance of 1063 the tax cost of extending benefits to a proposed project before certification, as approved by the 1064 commissioner of revenue, based on reasonable projections of project activities and costs. Tax 1065 incentives shall not be available to a certified life sciences company unless expressly granted by 1066 the secretary of administration and finance in writing. 1067 (3) When authorizing incentives pursuant to this subsection, the center shall require the 1068 certified life sciences company to execute a written agreement setting forth the terms and 1069 conditions on which the tax credits may be claimed. The written agreement shall set forth: (i) the 1070 company’s permanent new or retained full-time employees; (ii) commitments over 1 or more 1071 years; (iii) a schedule on which the credits may be claimed; and (iv) other such terms or 1072 conditions as the center may, in its discretion, require. The written agreement may, at the 1073 center’s discretion, limit or restrict the right of the certified life sciences company to carry 1074 unused tax credits forward to subsequent tax years. 1075

SECTION 12. Subsection (e) of said section 5 of said chapter 23I, as so appearing, is 1076 hereby amended by striking out paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting in place thereof the 1077 following 2 paragraphs:- 1078 (1) Certification granted pursuant to subsection (b) shall be valid starting with the tax 1079 year in which certification is granted. Each certified life sciences company shall file an annual 49 of 225 1080 report with the center certifying whether the company has achieved the job commitments, met 1081 the specific targets established in the proposal pursuant to subclause (A) of clause (i) of said 1082 subsection (b) and other material obligations or representations set forth in the written agreement 1083 pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (d). 1084 (2) The certification of a life sciences company may be revoked by the center after an 1085 investigation and determination that representations made by the certified life sciences company 1086 in its certification proposal or written agreement pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (d) are 1087 materially at variance with the conduct of the life sciences company after receiving certification; 1088 provided, however, that the center shall review the certified life sciences company not less than 1089 annually; and provided further, that the center shall have the discretion to determine whether the 1090 material variance shall result in revocation of a project certification, taking into account: (i) the 1091 conduct of the certified life sciences company subsequent to the project certification; (ii) the 1092 extent to which the material variance is the result of unforeseen conditions that are outside the 1093 control of the certified life sciences company; and (iii) other considerations as the center shall 1094 establish by policy. If the center revokes certification of a life sciences company, the center shall 1095 provide its reasons for the decision in writing to the secretary of administration and finance, the 1096 commissioner of revenue and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, who shall 1097 forward the same to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on 1098 revenue and the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies. The 1099 center shall post these reasons on the center’s website. 1100

SECTION 13. Said subsection (e) of said section 5 of said chapter 23I, as so appearing, is 1101 hereby further amended by striking out paragraph (4) and inserting in place thereof the following 1102 2 paragraphs:- 50 of 225 1103 (4) In connection with an award of refundable jobs credits pursuant to subsection (r) of 1104 section 6 of chapter 62 or section 38CC of chapter 63, if the center finds that the certified life 1105 sciences company is in material variance with the terms of the written agreement entered into 1106 under paragraph (3) of subsection (d), the center may rescind tax credits awarded but not yet 1107 claimed and request that the department recapture tax credits already claimed. The center may 1108 provide the certified life sciences company with reasonable opportunity to cure the material 1109 variance and rescind or recapture tax credits in proportion to the company’s compliance, as 1110 determined by the center. Tax credits shall be rescinded or recaptured by sending a written notice 1111 to the certified life sciences company and the department. Where applicable, the department shall 1112 recapture tax credits in pursuant to said subsection (r) of said section 6 of said chapter 62 or said 1113 section 38CC of said chapter 63. 1114 (5) Nothing in this subsection shall limit any legal remedies available to the 1115 commonwealth against any certified life sciences company. 1116

SECTION 14. Said section 5 of said chapter 23I, as so appearing, is hereby further 1117 amended by striking out, in lines 149 and 150, the word “independent”. 1118 SECTION 15. Section 1 of chapter 23J of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 1119 amended by striking out the definition of “Fund” and inserting in place thereof the following 1120 definition:- 1121 “Fund”, the Climatetech Investment Fund established in section 15. 1122 SECTION 16. Said section 1 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby further 1123 amended by striking out the definition of “Trust fund”. 51 of 225 1124 SECTION 17. Section 2 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 1125 striking out, in lines 13 to 15, inclusive, the words “, in collaboration with the Massachusetts 1126 Renewable Energy Trust Fund established in section 4E of chapter 40J,”. 1127 SECTION 18. Subsection (e) of said section 2 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is 1128 hereby amended by striking out the second paragraph. 1129

SECTION 19. Section 3 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 1130 striking out, in lines 65 and 66, the words “Massachusetts Alternative and Climatetech 1131 Investment Trust Fund” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- fund. 1132

SECTION 20. Subsection (a) of said section 3 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is 1133 hereby amended by striking out paragraphs (26) to (32), inclusive, and inserting in place thereof 1134 the following 5 paragraphs:- 1135 (26) to promote programs and investments that lead to pathways towards economic self- 1136 sufficiency for low and moderate-income individuals and communities in the climatetech 1137 industry; 1138 (27) to research and establish, if the center so chooses, the Massachusetts Hydrogen and 1139 Fuel Cell Institute, to be housed at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and to serve as a joint 1140 venture among institutes of higher education in the commonwealth providing a focal point for 1141 research, education and commercialization activities in the hydrogen fuel cell sector; provided, 1142 however, that said institute responsibilities may include, but shall not be limited to: (i) working 1143 with the University of Massachusetts and private higher education institutions in the 1144 commonwealth to coordinate and strengthen hydrogen and fuel cell research activities in the 1145 commonwealth; (ii) strengthening collaborative research and development between universities 52 of 225 1146 and companies located within the commonwealth; (iii) addressing critical technological barriers 1147 facing the hydrogen and fuel cell companies; (iv) strengthening existing educational programs 1148 and introducing new curriculum in Massachusetts universities to produce graduates who are 1149 conversant in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies; and (v) promoting partnerships between 1150 Massachusetts universities and companies to jointly demonstrate hydrogen and fuel cell 1151 technologies and attract greater amounts of federal funding to the commonwealth; 1152 (28) to allocate, if the center so chooses, up to $2,000,000 annually for 5 years for the 1153 Massachusetts Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Institute; provided, however, that said funding shall 1154 begin in the fiscal year that said institute shall be established and shall end in the fifth fiscal year 1155 following the establishment of said institute; 1156 (29) to establish, if the center so chooses, a program to be known as the entrepreneurial 1157 fellowship program, which shall award grants to entrepreneurs from business sectors other than 1158 climatetech sectors to enroll in programs to foster knowledge and expertise of climatetech 1159 technology; provided, however, that the climatetech technology programs shall be based upon 1160 intensive technology, market and policy curriculum; and provided further, that the center shall 1161 establish public-private partnerships and enter into contribution agreements with commonwealth- 1162 based companies and venture capitalists to support programs designed to mentor and train 1163 entrepreneurs from other business sectors in the areas of climatetech technology and 1164 development to increase investment in the commonwealth’s climatetech sector; and 1165 (30) to serve as a focal point, and provide state-wide coordination, for offshore wind 1166 initiatives; provided, that said responsibilities shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) 1167 working with public and private higher education institutions in the commonwealth to coordinate 53 of 225 1168 and strengthen offshore wind research activities in the commonwealth; (ii) strengthening 1169 collaborative research and development between higher education institutions and companies 1170 located within the commonwealth; (iii) addressing critical barriers facing offshore wind 1171 companies in the commonwealth; (iv) assessing and reporting on infrastructure requirements that 1172 support the growing offshore wind industry in the commonwealth; (v) supporting the growth of 1173 an offshore wind supply chain in the commonwealth; (vi) supporting and developing offshore 1174 wind training initiatives; and (vii) supporting and growing offshore wind innovation and 1175 entrepreneurship in the commonwealth; provided, that priority shall be given to efforts and 1176 investments that leverage private investment in the offshore wind sector. 1177

SECTION 21. Section 5 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 1178 striking out, in lines 16 to 19, inclusive, the words “and the trust fund over the previous fiscal 1179 year, the ability of the fund to meet the requirements in section 35FF of chapter 10 and the 1180 ability of the trust fund to meet the requirements in section 9” and inserting in place thereof the 1181 following words:- over the previous fiscal year, the ability of the fund to meet the requirements 1182 in section 15. 1183 SECTION 22. Section 9 of said chapter 23J is hereby repealed. 1184 SECTION 23. Section 11 of said chapter 23J, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is 1185 hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2 and 3, the words “the fund and the trust fund” and 1186 inserting in place thereof the following words:- any funds administered by the center under this 1187 chapter. 54 of 225 1188 SECTION 24. Section 15 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 1189 striking out, in line 6, the words “and (iii)” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 1190 (iii) all amounts collected under section 20 of chapter 25; and (iv). 1191

SECTION 25. Subsection (b) of section 16 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby 1192 amended by adding the following 2 sentences:- The decision by the center to certify or deny 1193 certification of a climatetech company and the decision to authorize or deny any incentives 1194 pursuant to subsection (d), including, but not limited to, the amount of such incentive and any 1195 conditions or limitations on such authorization, shall be decisions that are in the sole discretion 1196 of the center. The decisions by the center shall be final and shall not be subject to administrative 1197 appeal or judicial review pursuant to chapter 30A or give rise to any other cause of action or 1198 legal or equitable claim or remedy. 1199

SECTION 26. Subsection (c) of said section 16 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is 1200 hereby amended by striking out paragraph (1) and inserting in place thereof the following 1201 paragraph:- 1202 (1) Certification granted pursuant to subsection (b) shall be valid starting with the tax 1203 year in which certification is granted. Each certified climatetech company shall file an annual 1204 report with the center certifying whether the company has achieved the job commitments, met 1205 the specific targets established in the proposal pursuant to clause (i) of subsection (b) and, if not, 1206 detailing its progress towards those targets, and other material obligations or representations set 1207 forth in the written agreement pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (d). 55 of 225 1208 SECTION 27. Said section 16 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is hereby further 1209 amended by inserting after the word “proposal”, in line 56, the following words:- or written 1210 agreement pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (d). 1211

SECTION 28. Subsection (c) of said section 16 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is 1212 hereby amended by striking out paragraph (3) and inserting in place thereof the following 2 1213 paragraphs:- 1214 (3) In connection with an award of refundable jobs credits pursuant to subsection (hh) of 1215 section 6 of chapter 62 or section 38TT of chapter 63, if the center finds that the certified 1216 climatetech company is in material noncompliance with the terms of the written agreement 1217 entered into pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (d), then the center may rescind tax credits 1218 awarded but not yet claimed and request that the department of revenue recapture tax credits 1219 already claimed. The center shall have discretion to provide the certified climatetech company 1220 with reasonable opportunity to cure the material noncompliance and rescind or recapture tax 1221 credits in proportion to the company’s compliance, as determined by the center. Tax credits shall 1222 be rescinded or recaptured by sending a written notice to the certified climatetech company and 1223 the department of revenue. The department of revenue shall recapture tax credits pursuant to said 1224 subsection (hh) of said section 6 of said chapter 62 or said section 38TT of said chapter 63, 1225 where applicable. 1226 (4) Nothing in this subsection shall limit any legal remedies available to the 1227 commonwealth against any certified climatetech company. 56 of 225 1228

SECTION 29. Subsection (d) of said section 16 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, is 1229 hereby amended by striking out paragraph (1) and inserting in place thereof the following 1230 paragraph:- 1231 (1) The center, in consultation with the department of revenue, may authorize incentives, 1232 including those established in subsections (gg) and (hh) of section 6 of chapter 62, subsection (k) 1233 of section 38M of chapter 63, section 38RR of said chapter 63, section 38SS of said chapter 63, 1234 section 38TT of said chapter 63, the second paragraph of subsection (c) of section 42B of said 1235 chapter 63 and subsection (yy) of section 6 of chapter 64H, that shall not exceed $30,000,000 1236 annually. The center may authorize incentives to a climatetech company that span multiple years 1237 if the total amount of incentives due to be taken in any single calendar year does not exceed the 1238 applicable cap. The center shall determine the amount and type of any such incentive to 1239 authorize and the schedule on which those incentives may be claimed. The center, in consultation 1240 with the department of revenue, may limit the incentives to a specific dollar amount, time 1241 duration or in any other manner deemed appropriate by the department of revenue; provided, 1242 however, that the department of revenue shall only allocate the incentives among certified 1243 climatetech companies. 1244

SECTION 30. Said subsection (d) of said section 16 of said chapter 23J, as so appearing, 1245 is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:- 1246 (3) When authorizing incentives pursuant to this subsection, the center shall require the 1247 certified climatetech company to execute a written agreement that sets forth the terms and 1248 conditions for which the tax credits may be claimed. The written agreement shall set forth: (i) the 1249 company’s permanent new or retained full-time employees; (ii) commitments over 1 or more 57 of 225 1250 years; (iii) a schedule on which the credits may be claimed; and (iv) other such terms or 1251 conditions as the center may, in its discretion, require. The written agreement may, at the 1252 center’s discretion, limit or restrict the right of the certified climatetech company to carry unused 1253 tax credits forward to subsequent tax years. 1254

SECTION 31. Said chapter 23J is hereby further amended by adding the following 1255 section:- 1256 Section 17. (a)(1) For the purposes of this section, the terms “department”, “distribution 1257 company” and “electric company” shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the 1258 meanings as defined in section 1 of chapter 164. 1259 (2) For the purposes of this section, the words “gridtech solution” shall, unless the 1260 context clearly requires otherwise, mean novel technologies, novel applications of technologies 1261 and other innovative approaches, including, but not limited to, novel retail rate designs, 1262 distributed energy resource wiring configurations or customer energy solutions. 1263 (b) There shall be a gridtech deployment advisory board. The board shall: (i) explore 1264 opportunities for public-private partnerships to test or deploy at-scale gridtech; (ii) facilitate 1265 connections between gridtech companies and relevant distribution companies; and (iii) identify 1266 and propose solutions to barriers in the existing practices of an electric company or the 1267 department; provided, that such solutions are permissible under state law. The advisory board 1268 shall prioritize, where appropriate, the deployment of gridtech that reduces electric distribution 1269 and transmission grid costs and supports achievement of the statewide greenhouse gas emissions 1270 limits and sublimits chapter 21N. 58 of 225 1271 (c) The gridtech deployment advisory board established pursuant to subsection (b) shall 1272 be comprised of: (i) the chief executive officer of the center, or their designee; (ii) the 1273 commissioner of the department of energy resources, or their designee; (iii) the chair of the 1274 department, or their designee; (iv) the secretary of the executive office of economic 1275 development, or their designee; (v) 1 representative from the Massachusetts Technology 1276 Development Corporation established in section 2 of chapter 40G; (vi) 1 representative from 1277 each electric company; (vii) 1 representative from the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale 1278 Electric Company; (viii) 1 representative from a municipal electric distribution company or an 1279 organization that represents municipal electric distribution companies; and (ix) 3 representatives 1280 from organizations involved or familiar with the development, financing or implementation of 1281 gridtech solutions. The board shall be co-chaired by the chief executive officer of the center, or 1282 their designee, and a member of an electric company serving on the advisory board. All 1283 representatives shall, unless otherwise provided, be appointed by the chief executive officer of 1284 the center. 1285 (d) The electric companies shall file for review and approval with the department any 1286 process approved by the board to review, on an expedited basis, requests for limited waivers of 1287 prior department orders that will alleviate gridtech deployment barriers. 1288 (e) The department shall approve any process filed under subsection (d) if it determines 1289 that such process is in the public interest, including, but not limited to, reducing electric grid 1290 costs and supporting achievement of the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits 1291 pursuant to chapter 21N. 59 of 225 1292 (f) Annually, the board shall identify barriers to the deployment of discrete gridtech 1293 technologies and applications in existing utility practices and orders issued by the department, as 1294 well as potential solutions to those barriers and, as applicable, limited waivers of department 1295 orders to alleviate the identified barriers. The electric companies shall seek approval from the 1296 department of any limited waivers identified and approved by the board so long as they are 1297 consistent with the process approved by the department under subsection (e). 1298 (g) Nothing in this section shall preclude members of the board from testing, funding or 1299 scaling gridtech solutions outside of the processes outlined in this section. 1300

SECTION 32. Section 20 of chapter 25 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 1301 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof 1302 the following subsection:- 1303 (a) The department shall require a mandatory charge of 0.5 mill per kilowatt-hour for all 1304 electricity consumers, except those served by a municipal lighting plant that does not supply 1305 generation service outside its own service territory or does not open its service territory to 1306 competition at the retail level. All revenues generated by the mandatory charge shall be 1307 deposited into the Climatetech Investment Fund, established in section 15 of chapter 23J. 1308 SECTION 33. Said section 20 of said chapter 25, as so appearing, is hereby further 1309 amended by striking out, in line 22, the words “Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust” and 1310 inserting in place thereof the following words:- Climatetech Investment. 1311

SECTION 34. Said section 20 of said chapter 25, as so appearing, is hereby further 1312 amended by inserting after the word “fund”, in line 24, the following words:- revenues from 1313 mandatory charges held by the fund. 60 of 225 1314 SECTION 35. Said section 20 of said chapter 25, as so appearing, is hereby further 1315 amended by striking out, in line 28, the word “collaborative” and inserting in place thereof the 1316 following words:- Massachusetts clean energy technology center. 1317 SECTION 36. Said section 20 of said chapter 25, as so appearing, is hereby further 1318 amended by striking out, in line 42, the word “trust”. 1319 SECTION 37. Section 2EEEEEE of chapter 29 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 1320 hereby amended by inserting after the word “Matching”, in line 28, the following words:- , Fiscal 1321 Resilience. 1322

SECTION 38. Said section 2EEEEEE of said chapter 29, as so appearing, is hereby 1323 further amended by striking out, in line 73, the words “and (iii)” and inserting in place thereof 1324 the following words:- (iii) protecting the commonwealth from the elimination, reduction or 1325 material delay of federal funds upon a determination by the secretary that the elimination, 1326 reduction or material delay of such federal funds would materially impact public health, safety or 1327 welfare or the fiscal stability of the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, in 1328 accordance with guidance issued by the executive office for administration and finance; (iv) 1329 improving the financial stability of hospitals and community health centers in the commonwealth 1330 that provide health care to low-income, uninsured or underinsured residents, including by 1331 transferring any amounts in the fund to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established in section 1332 66 of chapter 118E, in accordance with guidance issued by the executive office for 1333 administration and finance in consultation with the executive office of health and human 1334 services; (v) funding pay-as-you-go capital for any capital project or program up to the amount 1335 otherwise authorized by the general court for such project or program in chapter 238 of the acts 61 of 225 1336 of 2024, in accordance with guidance issued by the executive office for administration and 1337 finance; and (vi). 1338

SECTION 39. Said section 2EEEEEE of said chapter 29, as so appearing, is 1339 hereby further amended by inserting after the word “Matching”, in line 78, the following words:- 1340 , Fiscal Resilience. 1341

SECTION 40. Said section 2EEEEEE of said chapter 29, as so appearing, is hereby 1342 further amended by inserting after the word “Matching”, in line 85, the following words:- , Fiscal 1343 Resilience. 1344 SECTION 40 1/4. Said chapter 29 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 1345 2OOOOOO, inserted by section 2 of chapter 113 of the acts of 2026, the following section:- 1346 Section 2PPPPPP. (a) There is hereby established in the office of the state treasurer a 1347 separate, non-budgeted special revenue fund known as the Massachusetts Secure Choice Savings 1348 Fund, which shall be administered by the state treasurer. The fund shall be credited with: (i) 1349 money from the payment of fees, penalties and other payments due to the Massachusetts secure 1350 choice savings program established in section 64H; (ii) appropriations or other money authorized 1351 or transferred by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund and any 1352 funds appropriated by the federal or local governments; (iii) private contributions and publicly or 1353 privately-funded grants; and (iv) any interest earned on the assets of the fund. Monies in the fund 1354 that are unexpended at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be 1355 available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year. Section 38 shall not apply to any 1356 investment of the fund. 62 of 225 1357 (b) The fund shall cover all expenses associated with the administration of the 1358 Massachusetts secure choice savings program not otherwise covered by the program, including, 1359 but not limited to, expenses related to program compliance and oversight responsibilities. 1360 (c) The Massachusetts secure choice savings board, as established in section 64G, shall 1361 establish guidelines regarding administration of the fund. 1362 Section 2QQQQQQ. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the 1363 commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Transition Age Youth Services Matching 1364 Fund. The purpose of the fund shall be to increase access of transition-aged youth to high 1365 quality, evidence- and community-based services that have undergone a rigorous evaluation and 1366 have been rated by a third-party clearinghouse by incentivizing private investment in such 1367 services. The secretary of health and human services shall administer the fund and shall expend 1368 money from the fund, without further appropriation, in the form of matching grants for evidence- 1369 based services for youth aging out of care or services from the executive office of health and 1370 human services and its constituent agencies. Youth served through the fund shall: (i) be not less 1371 than 17 years of age and not more than 23 years of age; (ii) have been, but at the time of service 1372 provision may or may not still be, under the care of executive office of health and human 1373 services or 1 or more of its constituent agencies; and (iii) be housing insecure or at risk of 1374 experiencing homelessness based on risk factors, including, but not limited to, previous 1375 experience in the foster care system, couch-surfing, unemployment and other indicators of lack 1376 of economic stability or life skills that could result in homelessness. Money in the fund shall only 1377 be expended to match private or philanthropic funding pursuant to subsection (b). 63 of 225 1378 (b) No expenditure from the fund shall be made unless it is accompanied by a 1379 commitment of a corresponding private matching reimbursement to the fund to increase access 1380 to such services. Qualifying matching reimbursement shall be: (i) not less than 100 per cent of 1381 the corresponding expenditure from the fund during the first 2 fiscal years after the establishment 1382 of the fund; (ii) not less than 70 per cent of the corresponding expenditure from the fund during 1383 the subsequent fiscal year; (iii) not less than 40 per cent of the corresponding expenditure from 1384 the fund during the subsequent 2 fiscal years; and (iv) not less than a percentage of the 1385 corresponding expenditure from the fund set by the secretary thereafter, which shall not exceed 1386 40 per cent of the corresponding expenditure from the fund. 1387 (c) There shall be credited to the fund: (i) any appropriations or other money authorized 1388 by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (ii) any federal 1389 financial participation revenues claimed and received by the commonwealth for eligible 1390 expenditures made from the fund; (iii) money transferred to the fund by the executive office or 1391 its constituent agencies pursuant to subsection (e); (iv) interest earned on any money in the fund; 1392 and (v) any other grants, premiums, gifts, reimbursements or other contributions received by the 1393 commonwealth from any source for or in support of the purposes described in subsection (a). 1394 (d) Amounts credited to the fund may be expended without further appropriation. The 1395 secretary may incur expenses and the comptroller may certify for payment amounts in 1396 anticipation of expected receipts; provided, however, that no expenditure shall be made from the 1397 fund that shall cause the fund to be deficient at the close of a fiscal year. Any money remaining 1398 in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available 1399 for expenditure in a subsequent fiscal year. 64 of 225 1400 (e) Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, for the purposes of 1401 increasing the total amount of private matching expenditures pursuant to this section, the 1402 commissioner of mental health, the commissioner of youth services, the commissioner of 1403 children and families, the commissioner of public health, the director of the division of medical 1404 assistance and the secretary may transfer into the fund money appropriated to other accounts that 1405 otherwise would be expended to pay for services to assist transition-aged youth with living 1406 successful, independent lives as they age out of state care or services; provided, however, that the 1407 secretary shall notify the house and senate committees on ways and means of any such transfer. 1408 (f) Annually, not later than October 1, the secretary shall report on the fund’s activity to 1409 the chairs of the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities, the joint 1410 committee on the judiciary, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery, 1411 and the house and senate committees on ways and means. The report shall include, but shall not 1412 be limited to: (i) revenue received by the fund and the source of such revenue; (ii) expenditures 1413 from the fund, including the recipient, matching commitment, date and purpose of the 1414 expenditure; (iii) the number of transition-aged youth served through expenditures from the fund 1415 and their corresponding match; and (iv) youth outcomes at discharge for educational attainment, 1416 employment and living situations. 1417 SECTION 40 1/2. Said chapter 29 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 1418 64E the following 5 sections:- 1419 Section 64F. For the purposes of this section and sections 64G to 64J, inclusive, the 1420 following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following 1421 meanings: 65 of 225 1422 “Board”, the Massachusetts secure choice savings board established pursuant to section 1423 64G. 1424 “Code”, as defined in section 1 of chapter 62. 1425 “Commissioner”, the commissioner of revenue. 1426 “Department”, the department of revenue. 1427 “Employee”, any individual who: (i) is 18 years of age or older; (ii) is employed by an 1428 employer; and (iii) has wages that are allocable to the commonwealth during a calendar year 1429 under chapter 62. 1430 “Employer”, a person or entity engaged in a business, industry, profession, trade or other 1431 enterprise in the commonwealth, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, that has: (i) at no time 1432 during the previous calendar year employed fewer than 25 employees in the commonwealth; (ii) 1433 been in business not less than 2 years; and (iii) not offered a qualified retirement plan, including, 1434 but not limited to, a plan qualified under sections 401(a), 401(k), 403(a), 403(b), 408(k), 408(p) 1435 or 457(b) of the Code in the preceding 2 calendar years. 1436 “Enrollee”, any employee or former employee who is enrolled in the program. 1437 “Fund”, the Massachusetts Secure Choice Savings Fund, established pursuant to section 1438 2PPPPPP. 1439 “IRA”, an individual retirement account that is either a: (i) Roth IRA, under section 408A 1440 of the Code; or (ii) individual retirement account under section 408 of the Code. 66 of 225 1441 “Participating employer”, an employer that provides a payroll deposit retirement savings 1442 arrangement as provided for by section 64I for its employees who are enrolled in the program. 1443 “Payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement”, an arrangement by which a 1444 participating employer allows enrollees to remit payroll deduction contributions to the program. 1445 “Program”, the Massachusetts secure choice savings program, established pursuant to 1446 section 64H. 1447 “Wages”, any compensation within the meaning of section 219(f)(1) of the Code that is 1448 received by an enrollee from a participating employer during the calendar year. 1449 Section 64G. (a)(1) There is hereby established the Massachusetts secure choice savings 1450 board. The board shall consist of the following 5 members: the state treasurer or a designee, who 1451 shall serve as chair; the comptroller or a designee; the secretary of the commonwealth or a 1452 designee; a public representative with expertise in retirement savings plan administration or 1453 investment, or both, who is representative of participating employees, appointed by the governor; 1454 and a public representative with expertise in retirement savings plan administration or 1455 investment, or both, who is representative of participating employers, appointed by the state 1456 treasurer. 1457 (2) Each member shall be appointed for a term of 4 years; provided, however, that the 1458 public representative of employers shall be appointed initially for a term of 3 years; and provided 1459 further, that all members shall be eligible for reappointment. A vacancy in the term of an 1460 appointed board member shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner 1461 as the original appointment. Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be 1462 reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. 67 of 225 1463 (3) The board may appoint or engage agents. The board, the individual members of the 1464 board, any other agents appointed or engaged by the board and all persons serving as program 1465 staff shall discharge their duties with respect to the program solely in the interest of the 1466 program’s enrollees and beneficiaries. 1467 (b) The board shall be responsible for ongoing fiduciary administrative oversight of the 1468 program for the purpose of promoting greater retirement savings for private-sector employees in 1469 a convenient, low-cost and portable manner, pursuant to subsection (a) of section 64H. 1470 (c) The board shall report annually to the state treasurer, governor, comptroller, secretary 1471 of the commonwealth and the house and senate committees on ways and means. The report shall 1472 include, but shall not be limited to: (i) an audited financial report, prepared in accordance with 1473 generally accepted accounting principles; (ii) a summary of the benefits provided by the 1474 program, including the number of enrollees; and (iii) the percentage and amounts of investment 1475 options and rates of return. 1476 (d) All agencies of the commonwealth shall cooperate as requested by the board in the 1477 performance of their duties under this section, including, unless otherwise prohibited, the sharing 1478 of relevant data as the parties shall mutually agree. 1479 Section 64H. (a) There is hereby established in the office of the state treasurer the 1480 Massachusetts secure choice savings program, subject to appropriation. The program shall be 1481 developed and administered by the state treasurer with ongoing fiduciary administrative 1482 oversight provided by the board for the purpose of promoting greater retirement savings for 1483 private-sector employees in a convenient, low-cost and portable manner. 68 of 225 1484 (b)(1) The state treasurer shall design, establish and operate the program in a manner that: 1485 (i) accords with best practices for retirement savings vehicles; (ii) maximizes participation, 1486 savings and sound investment practices; (iii) maximizes simplicity, including ease of 1487 administration for participating employers and enrollees; (iv) provides an efficient product to 1488 enrollees by pooling investment funds; and (v) ensures the portability of benefits. 1489 (2) The state treasurer and the department shall maintain, on their websites, information 1490 for employers on the requirements of the program and information on retirement plans an 1491 employer may offer as an alternative to the program, including, but not limited to, a defined 1492 benefit plan, 401(k) plan, a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan or a Savings Incentive 1493 Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) plan. 1494 (c) The state treasurer shall request, in writing, an opinion or ruling from the appropriate 1495 entity with jurisdiction over the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act regarding the 1496 applicability of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act to the program. The state 1497 treasurer shall not implement the program if the IRA arrangements offered under the program 1498 fail to qualify for the favorable federal income tax treatment ordinarily accorded to IRAs under 1499 the Code or if it is determined that the program is an employee benefit plan and state or employer 1500 liability is established under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act. 1501 (d) The state treasurer shall prepare a written statement of investment policy that includes 1502 a risk management and oversight program for consideration and adoption by the board. 1503 (e) The state treasurer may contract with practitioners, administrators, investment 1504 managers and other entities to design, administer and provide investment options under the 1505 program. Any practitioner, administrator, investment manager or other entity with which the 69 of 225 1506 state treasurer contracts shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws, rules and 1507 regulations and all rules, policies and guidelines promulgated by the board with respect to the 1508 program and the investment of the fund, including, but not limited to, the investment policy. Any 1509 practitioner, administrator, investment manager or other entity with which the state treasurer 1510 contracts shall provide such reports as the board deems necessary to assess performance. 1511 (f) The state treasurer shall assess the feasibility of multistate or regional agreements to 1512 administer the program through shared administrative and operational resources and may enter 1513 into those agreements if deemed beneficial to the program. 1514 (g)(1) The commonwealth, the board, each member of the board or other commonwealth 1515 official, other commonwealth boards, commissions or agencies, or any member, officer or 1516 employee thereof, and the program: (i) shall have no responsibility for compliance by individuals 1517 with the conditions and other provisions of the Code that determine which individuals are 1518 eligible to make tax-favored contributions to IRAs, in what amount and in what time frame and 1519 manner; (ii) shall have no duty, responsibility or liability to any party for the payment of any 1520 benefits under the program, regardless of whether sufficient funds are available under the 1521 program to pay such benefits; (iii) do not and shall not guarantee any interest rate or other rate of 1522 return on or investment performance of any contribution or account balance; and (iv) are not and 1523 shall not be liable or responsible for any loss, deficiency, failure to realize any gain or any other 1524 adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, any adverse tax consequences or loss of 1525 favorable tax treatment, public assistance or other benefits incurred by any person as a result of 1526 participating in the program. 70 of 225 1527 (2) The debts, contracts and obligations of the program shall not be considered the debts, 1528 contracts and obligations of the commonwealth, and neither the faith and credit nor the taxing 1529 power of the commonwealth shall be pledged directly or indirectly to the payment of the debts, 1530 contracts and obligations of the program. 1531 (3) Participating employers shall not have any liability for an employee’s decision to 1532 participate in, or opt out of, the program or for the investment decisions of the board or of any 1533 enrollee. 1534 (4) A participating employer shall not be a fiduciary, or considered to be a fiduciary, over 1535 the program. A participating employer shall not bear responsibility for the administration, 1536 investment options or investment performance of the program. A participating employer shall 1537 not be liable with regard to investment returns, program design and benefits paid to program 1538 participants. 1539 (h) All agencies of the commonwealth shall cooperate as requested by the state treasurer 1540 in the performance of their duties under this section, including, unless otherwise prohibited, the 1541 sharing of relevant data as the parties shall mutually agree. 1542 Section 64I. (a)(1) Each employer shall establish a payroll deposit retirement savings 1543 arrangement to allow each employee to participate in the program on a timeline set by the board. 1544 (2) Employers shall automatically enroll each employee, who has not opted out of 1545 participation, in the program and shall provide payroll deduction retirement savings 1546 arrangements and deposit, on behalf of each such employee, these funds into the program. 71 of 225 1547 (3) Employers shall retain the option at all times to set up any type of employer- 1548 sponsored retirement plan, including, but not limited to, a defined benefit plan, a 401(k), a 1549 Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan or a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees 1550 (SIMPLE) plan, instead of having a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement to allow 1551 employee participation in the program. 1552 (b)(1) Enrollees shall have the ability to: (i) select a contribution level into the fund; or 1553 (ii) opt out of participation in the program. The contribution level may be expressed as a 1554 percentage of wages or as a dollar amount up to the deductible amount for the enrollee’s taxable 1555 year under section 219(b)(1)(A) of the Code. Enrollees may change their contribution level at 1556 any time and that election shall be honored as soon as administratively feasible. If an enrollee 1557 fails to select a contribution level using the form prescribed, the enrollee shall contribute the 1558 default contribution rate of 6 per cent, with an annual escalation of 1 per cent and up to 10 per 1559 cent, of their wages to the program. 1560 (2) Enrollees may select an investment option from the permitted investment options 1561 available under the program. Enrollees may change their investment option at any time. If an 1562 enrollee fails to select an investment option, the enrollee shall be placed in a qualified default 1563 investment alternative specified by the program. 1564 (3) An enrollee may terminate their participation in the program at any time in a manner 1565 prescribed by the program. 1566 Section 64J. (a) An employer who fails without reasonable cause to enroll an employee, 1567 who has not elected out of participation, in the program within the time prescribed by the state 1568 treasurer, in consultation with the department, shall be subject to a penalty equal to: 72 of 225 1569 (i) $250 for each employee for each calendar year or portion of a calendar year during 1570 which the employee neither was enrolled in the program nor had elected out of participation in 1571 the program, and the employee or any appropriate official of the commonwealth may bring a 1572 civil action to require the employer to enroll the employee and shall recover such costs and 1573 reasonable attorney’s fees as may be allowed by the court; and 1574 (ii) for each calendar year beginning after the date a penalty has been assessed with 1575 respect to an employee, $500 for any portion of that calendar year during which such employee 1576 continues to be unenrolled without electing out of participation in the program, and the employee 1577 or any appropriate official of the commonwealth may bring a civil action to require the employer 1578 to enroll the employee and shall recover such costs and reasonable attorney’s fees as may be 1579 allowed by the court. 1580 (b) No penalty shall be imposed under subsection (a) for any failure for which it is 1581 established that the employer, subject to liability for the penalty, did not know that the failure 1582 existed and exercised reasonable diligence to meet the requirements of this section or where: 1583 (i) the employer subject to liability for the penalty exercised reasonable diligence to meet 1584 those requirements; and 1585 (ii) the employer complies with those requirements with respect to each employee by the 1586 end of the 90-day period beginning on the first date the employer knew, or exercising reasonable 1587 diligence would have known, that the failure existed. 1588 (c) In the case of a failure that is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect, all or 1589 part of the penalty may be waived to the extent that the payment of the penalty would be 1590 excessive or otherwise inequitable relative to the failure involved. 73 of 225 1591 (d) If a participating employer fails to transmit a payroll deduction contribution to the 1592 program on the earliest date the amount withheld from the enrollee’s compensation may 1593 reasonably be segregated from the participating employer’s assets, but not later than the 15th day 1594 of the month following the month in which the enrollee’s contribution amounts are withheld 1595 from their paycheck, the failure to remit such contributions on a timely basis shall be subject to 1596 the same sanctions as employer misappropriation of employee wage withholdings, including 1597 those pursuant to sections 148 and 150 of chapter 149 and to the penalties specified in subsection 1598 (a). 1599 (e) Except as provided in this subsection, all information received by the department from 1600 returns filed by an employer or from any investigation conducted under this section shall be 1601 confidential, except for official purposes within the department or pursuant to official procedures 1602 for collection of penalties assessed under this section. Nothing contained in this section shall 1603 prevent the commissioner from publishing or making available to the public reasonable statistics 1604 concerning the operation of this section wherein the contents of returns are grouped into 1605 aggregates in such a way that the specific information of any employer shall not be disclosed. 1606 Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the commissioner from divulging information to 1607 an authorized representative of the employer or to any person pursuant to a request or 1608 authorization made by the employer or by an authorized representative of the employer. 1609 (f) Civil penalties and fees collected under this section shall be deposited into the fund. 1610 (g) The department may promulgate rules and regulations as necessary or proper for the 1611 administration and enforcement of this section. 1612 74 of 225 1613 SECTION 40A. Chapter 40 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out 1614 section 60 and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 1615 Section 60. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a city or town 1616 by vote of its town meeting, town council or city council with the approval of the mayor where 1617 required by law, on its own behalf or in conjunction with 1 or more cities or towns and under 1618 regulations issued by the executive office of housing and livable communities, in consultation 1619 with the department of revenue, may adopt and prosecute a housing tax increment financing 1620 agreement, in this section referred to as an HTIF agreement, intended to encourage increased 1621 residential and mixed-use growth; provided, however, that the HTIF agreement shall: 1622 (i) include a description of the parcels to be included in the agreement; provided, that in 1623 the case of an HTIF agreement adopted by more than 1 city or town, the areas designated as 1624 HTIF zones shall be contiguous areas of those cities and towns; 1625 (ii) describe the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation and related activities, public 1626 and private, contemplated for such HTIF agreement as of the date of the adoption of the HTIF 1627 agreement; provided, however, that in the case of public construction, the HTIF agreement shall 1628 include a detailed projection of the costs and a betterment schedule for the defrayal of such costs; 1629 provided, further, that the HTIF agreement shall provide that no costs of such public construction 1630 shall be recovered through betterments or special assessments imposed on a party that has not 1631 executed an HTIF agreement; and provided, further, that in the case of private construction, the 1632 HTIF agreement shall include the types of residential and mixed-use growth that are projected to 1633 occur, with such documentary evidence of the level of private investment and projected public 1634 benefits, including but not limited to architectural plans and specifications; 75 of 225 1635 (iii) authorize tax increment exemptions from property taxes, under clause Fifty-first of 1636 section 5 of chapter 59, for a specified term not to exceed 20 years, for any parcel of real 1637 property that is included in an HTIF agreement; provided, however, that the HTIF agreement 1638 shall specify the level of exemptions expressed as exemption percentages, not to exceed 100 per 1639 cent to be used in calculating the exemptions for the parcel, and for personal property situated on 1640 that parcel, as provided under said clause Fifty-first of said section 5 of said chapter 59; 1641 provided, further, that the exemption for each parcel of real property shall be calculated using an 1642 adjustment factor for each fiscal year of the specified term equal to the product of the inflation 1643 factors for each fiscal year since the parcel first became eligible for such exemption under this 1644 clause; and provided further, that the inflation factor for each fiscal year shall be a ratio: 1645 (A) the numerator of which shall be the total assessed value of all parcels of real estate 1646 that are assessed at full and fair cash value for the current fiscal year minus the new growth 1647 adjustment for the current fiscal year attributable to the residential and mixed-use real estate as 1648 determined by the commissioner of revenue pursuant to subsection (f) of section 21C of chapter 1649 59; and 1650 (B) the denominator of which shall be the total assessed value for the preceding fiscal 1651 year of all the parcels included in the numerator; provided, however, that such ratio shall not be 1652 less than 1; 1653 (iv) establish a maximum percentage of the costs of any public construction, referenced 1654 in clause (ii) and initiated subsequent to the adoption of the HTIF agreement, that can be 1655 recovered through betterments or special assessments against real property eligible for tax 1656 increment exemptions from property taxes under clause (iii) during the period of the parcel’s 76 of 225 1657 eligibility for exemption from annual property taxes pursuant to said clause Fifty-first of said 1658 section 5 of said chapter 59, notwithstanding chapter 80 or any other general or special law 1659 authorizing the imposition of betterments or special assessments; 1660 (v) include: (A) all material representations of the parties that served as the basis for the 1661 descriptions contained in the HTIF agreement in accordance with the provisions of clause (ii); 1662 (B) a detailed recitation of the tax increment exemptions and the maximum percentage of the 1663 cost of public improvements that can be recovered through betterments or special assessments 1664 regarding such parcel of real property pursuant to clauses (iii) and (iv); (C) a detailed recitation 1665 of all other benefits and responsibilities inuring to and assumed by the parties to such agreement; 1666 and (D) a provision that such agreement shall be binding upon subsequent owners of such parcel 1667 of real property; 1668 (vi) delegate to a board, agency or officer of the city or town the authority to execute 1669 agreements in accordance with the provisions of clause (v); and 1670 (vii) require an owner of a parcel pursuant to clause (v) to submit to the city or town clerk 1671 a report detailing the status of the construction laid out in the agreement, the current value of the 1672 property and the number of housing units created to date as a result of the agreement; provided, 1673 however, that a report shall be filed every 2 years for the term of the tax increment exemption 1674 allowed under clause Fifty-first of section 5 of chapter 59; and provided further, that a final 1675 report shall be filed in the final year of the exemption. 1676 (b) The board, agency or officer of the city or town authorized pursuant to clause (vi) of 1677 subsection (a) to execute agreements shall forward to the board of assessors a copy of each 1678 approved HTIF agreement, together with a list of the parcels included therein. 77 of 225 1679

SECTION 41. Section 1A of chapter 40A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 1680 amended by inserting after the definition of “Public service corporation” the following 1681 definition:- 1682 “Site plan review”, the review and approval process under a municipality’s zoning 1683 ordinance or by-law that establishes criteria for the layout, safety and impacts of a proposed use 1684 or development, and whether a proposed use of land or structures is in compliance with 1685 reasonable performance standards pursuant to section 7A; provided, however, that site plan 1686 review, and the performance standards applicable thereto, in connection with any protected use 1687 pursuant to section 3 or any other section of this chapter shall be limited to the extent required by 1688 such section. 1689

SECTION 42. Said chapter 40A is hereby further amended by inserting after section 3B 1690 the following 2 sections:- 1691 Section 3C. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 1692 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 1693 “Adaptive reuse”, the conversion of an existing structure from the use for which it was 1694 constructed to multi-family housing or mixed-use development by maintaining the elements of 1695 the structure and adapting such elements to the new use. 1696 “Board of appeals”, a municipal zoning board of appeals established pursuant to section 1697 12. 78 of 225 1698 “Bus station”, a location serving as a point of embarkation for any bus operated by a 1699 transit authority, including, but not limited to, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 1700 Silver Line. 1701 “Commercial conversion”, the use of land or structures for the creation and operation of 1702 any of the following: (i) adaptive reuse; (ii) new construction of multi-family housing; or (iii) 1703 new construction of mixed-use development. 1704 “Commercial use”, the use of land or structures for non-residential uses, including, but 1705 not limited to: (i) offices; (ii) retail; (iii) dining establishments; or (iv) other similar uses as may 1706 be provided through regulation by the executive office in consultation with the executive office 1707 of economic development. 1708 “Commercially zoned lot”, a lot where zoning allows commercial use as-of-right or by 1709 special permit. 1710 “Commuter rail station”, any commuter rail station operated by a transit authority with 1711 year-round service with trains departing at regular time intervals, rather than intermittent, 1712 seasonal or event-based service. 1713 “Executive office”, the executive office of housing and livable communities. 1714 “Ferry terminal”, the location where passengers embark and disembark from a ferry 1715 service with year-round service with ferries departing at regular time intervals, rather than 1716 intermittent, seasonal or event-based service. 79 of 225 1717 “Financially infeasible”, to add unreasonable costs or unreasonably diminish the 1718 economic feasibility of a commercial conversion by means of a condition or requirement 1719 imposed by the board of appeals. 1720 “Local board”, any local board or official, including, but not limited to, any: (i) board of 1721 survey; (ii) board of health; (iii) board of subdivision control appeals; (iv) planning board; (v) 1722 conservation commission; (vi) historical commission; (vii) water, sewer or other commission; 1723 (viii) district, fire, police, traffic or other department; (ix) building inspector or similar official; 1724 or (x) board, city council or selectboard; provided, that all boards, regardless of their 1725 geographical jurisdiction or their source of authority, including boards established pursuant to 1726 any general or special law, shall be a local board if they perform functions usually performed by 1727 locally created boards. 1728 “Local contribution”, an incentive provided by a city or town for commercial conversion 1729 on a commercially zoned lot pursuant to subsection (c). 1730 “Subway station”, any of the stops along the rapid transit system of a transit authority, 1731 including, but not limited to, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority red line, green 1732 line, orange line or blue line, and any extensions or additions to such lines. 1733 “Transit authority”, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority established in 1734 section 2 of chapter 161A, or any other local or regional transit authority established pursuant to 1735 section 3 or section 14 of chapter 161B. 1736 “Transit station”, a subway station, commuter rail station, ferry terminal or bus station. 80 of 225 1737 (b)(1) A city or town subject to this chapter may, pursuant to section 5, amend zoning to 1738 allow commercial conversion as of right on every commercially zoned lot; provided, that a city 1739 or town that adopts commercial conversion as of right zoning shall provide not less than 1 1740 adaptive reuse incentive pursuant to subsection (c); and provided further, that commercial 1741 conversion as of right zoning established pursuant to this section shall provide at a minimum, but 1742 shall not be limited to, the following: 1743 (A) for adaptive reuse: (i) allowing existing building setbacks to remain and be 1744 considered a legal nonconforming use pursuant to section 6; provided, however, that a 1745 municipality may prohibit any additional encroachments into any nonconforming setback, unless 1746 otherwise required pursuant to clause (ii) or otherwise allowed under zoning; (ii) allowing such 1747 development to exceed the existing footprint of the building to accommodate upgrades related to 1748 building code, fire code and utility requirements; (iii) allowing such development to exceed the 1749 maximum height of the existing zoning district if the structure in existence prior to the adaptive 1750 reuse exceeds the maximum height of the existing zoning district; (iv) exempting multi-family 1751 housing, new multi-family housing and new-construction of mixed-use developments from 1752 residential parking requirements that exceed 1 parking space per residential dwelling unit; 1753 provided, that such commercial conversion projects on lots that are partially or entirely located 1754 within a 0.5 mile radius of a transit station shall be exempt from any residential parking 1755 requirements; 1756 (B) A city or town may require that adequate infrastructure, including, but not limited to, 1757 roads and water and sewage systems, shall be available or provided to support commercial 1758 conversion; 81 of 225 1759 (C) A city or town may restrict development on lots where industrial and manufacturing 1760 uses are permitted and where such uses have a substantial and demonstratable likelihood of 1761 resulting in impacts that are incompatible with residential use, such as air, noise or odor; and 1762 (D) A city or town may impose affordable housing requirements on commercial 1763 conversion through an inclusionary zoning ordinance or bylaw to the extent that such affordable 1764 housing requirement does not require more than 10 per cent of the residential units within a 1765 commercial conversion to be subject to such affordable housing requirement and such 1766 requirement does not limit eligibility to households earning not more than 80 per cent area 1767 median income; provided, that the executive office, in its discretion, may approve for some or all 1768 of the affordable units upon request by a city or town as to an individual project in a form as may 1769 be designated by the executive office: (i) a greater percentage of affordable units; (ii) more than 1770 10 per cent of the residential units to be subject to such affordable housing requirement; or (iii) 1771 eligibility for a greater percentage of area median income. 1772 (2) Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a 1773 commercial conversion that is adaptive reuse under this section shall comply with the base 1774 energy code pursuant to the state building code, 780 C.M.R., and shall not be required to comply 1775 with the specialized stretch energy code established pursuant to section 6 of chapter 25A or the 1776 municipal opt-in specialized code established pursuant to section 6 of chapter 25A. 1777 (3) Notwithstanding sections 5, 8 and 9, a city or town that has adopted commercial 1778 conversion as of right zoning pursuant to paragraph (1) may establish a streamlined process for a 1779 petitioner or applicant seeking commercial conversion of a commercially zoned lot to submit to 1780 the board of appeals a single application for approval of a commercial conversion in lieu of 82 of 225 1781 separate applications to the applicable local boards. Such process shall provide, at a minimum, 1782 but shall not be limited to, the following: 1783 (i) The board of appeals shall notify each local board, as applicable, of the filing of an 1784 application under this paragraph by sending a copy thereof to such local boards for their 1785 recommendations and shall, within 30 days of receipt of the application, hold a public hearing in 1786 conformance with section 11; 1787 (ii) The board of appeals shall request representatives of local boards as are deemed 1788 necessary or helpful in making its decision upon an application to attend the hearing and shall, 1789 notwithstanding section 7, have the same power to issue permits or approvals as any local board 1790 or official who would otherwise act with respect to such application, including, but not limited 1791 to, the power to attach to said permit or approval conditions and requirements that are not 1792 financially infeasible; 1793 (iii) The board of appeals, in making its decision on an application, shall take into 1794 consideration the recommendations of the local boards and shall have the authority to use the 1795 testimony of consultants; 1796 (iv) The board of appeals shall render a decision, based upon a majority vote of said 1797 board, within 60 days of receiving an application; and 1798 (v) If a hearing is not convened or a decision is not rendered within the time allowed 1799 under clause (iv), unless the time has been extended by mutual agreement between the board of 1800 appeals and the applicant, the application shall be deemed to have been allowed and the permit 1801 or approval shall issue. 83 of 225 1802 (c) A city or town that adopts commercial conversion as of right zoning pursuant to this 1803 section may provide any of the following local contributions: (i) a tax increment exemption for 1804 adaptive reuse pursuant to section 5P of chapter 59; (ii) a preference for commercial conversion 1805 projects for assistance under a community preservation fund established pursuant to section 7 of 1806 chapter 44B; (iii) a preference for commercial conversion projects for assistance under a 1807 municipal affordable housing trust fund established pursuant to section 55C of chapter 44; (iv) 1808 adoption of a streamlined approval process pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (b); or (v) 1809 any other local contributions as determined by the executive office. 1810 (d) The executive office may establish additional incentives for cities and towns that 1811 adopt commercial conversion as of right zoning and a local contribution pursuant to this section. 1812 Such incentives for cities and towns may include, but shall not be limited to, a preference for 1813 financial assistance pursuant to section 27 ½ of chapter 23B, a preference for tax credits 1814 authorized pursuant to subsection (ee) of section 6 of chapter 62 and section 38OO of chapter 63 1815 and other incentives identified by the executive office in consultation with the executive office of 1816 economic development and the executive office for administration and finance. 1817 (e) The executive office may, in consultation with the executive office of economic 1818 development, promulgate regulations for the implementation and administration of this section. 1819 (f) A city or town that has adopted commercial conversion as of right zoning pursuant to 1820 paragraph (1) of subsection (b) above may repeal such adoption pursuant to section 5. 1821 Section 3D. (a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context 1822 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 84 of 225 1823 “Land owned by a religious sect or denomination”, a lot or land, buildings or structures 1824 owned by or held in trust for the use of a religious sect or denomination for not less than 3 years; 1825 provided, however, that “land owned by a religious sect or denomination” shall not include any 1826 land zoned for or used as a school, including, but not limited to, an institution of higher 1827 education. 1828 “Religious sect or denomination”, an organization organized predominantly for religious 1829 purposes, whether incorporated or unincorporated, and shall be: (i) exempt from taxation under 1830 section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, based on its status as a 1831 religious or apostolic association or corporation; (ii) an organization recognized by the 1832 department of revenue as a religious organization exempt from taxation pursuant to section 5 of 1833 chapter 59; or (iii) any other organization that qualifies as a religious sect or denomination for 1834 purposes of section 3. 1835 (b)(1) No zoning ordinance or by-law shall prohibit, unreasonably restrict or require a 1836 special permit or other discretionary zoning approval for the use of land owned by a religious 1837 sect or denomination for multifamily housing. 1838 (2) Multifamily housing constructed pursuant to this section shall not be subject to any 1839 municipal ordinances, bylaws or regulations, or other municipal development standards or 1840 conditions of approval, that exceed applicable requirements of state law or regulation. 1841 (c)(1) Multifamily housing shall be allowed as of right on land owned by a religious sect 1842 or denomination if the structures on the land of not more than 4 acres meet the dimensional 1843 requirements pursuant to this subsection; provided, that said 4 acres shall be the total regardless 1844 of where the boundaries of the land are located and regardless of the number of municipalities in 85 of 225 1845 which the land is located; provided, however, that if the underlying zoning ordinance or by-law 1846 permits greater density or height, or lower setbacks, the requirements under such zoning 1847 ordinance or by-law shall govern. 1848 (2) Gross density shall be allowed at up to the greater of: (i) 30 units per acre; provided, 1849 that the housing shall include not less than 20 per cent of the units affordable to families and 1850 individuals with incomes of not more than 80 per cent of the area median income; or (ii) not less 1851 than 30 units per acre but not more than 50 units per acre if the housing includes either: (A) at 1852 least 25 per cent of the units affordable to families and individuals with incomes of not more 1853 than 80 per cent of the area median income; or (B) not less than 20 per cent of the units 1854 affordable to families and individuals with incomes of not more than 60 per cent of the area 1855 median income. 1856 (3)(A) Structures on the land owned by a religious institution may have a height of up to 1857 the greater of: (i) the height of existing structures prior to development pursuant to this section; 1858 (ii) 4 full stories; (iii) 45 feet; or (iv) any greater number of stories or building height allowed 1859 under the zoning ordinance or by-law for the zoning district in which the land is located. 1860 (B) A minimum of 15 feet of side yard setback and 15 feet of rear yard setback shall 1861 apply unless the underlying zoning ordinance or by-law requires a lower minimum setback. 1862 (d) No off-street parking spaces shall be required for multifamily housing developed on 1863 land owned by a religious sect or denomination that is located not more than 0.5 miles from a 1864 commuter rail station, ferry terminal or bus station and not more than 1 parking space per unit 1865 shall be required for multifamily housing developed on land that is more than 0.5 miles from a 1866 commuter rail station, ferry terminal or bus station. 86 of 225 1867 (e) All multifamily housing developed on land owned by a religious sect or denomination 1868 under this section shall comply with state water resources regulations and standards established 1869 by the department of environmental protection. 1870 (f) No local occupancy preference shall be permitted in excess of 20 per cent of the 1871 multifamily housing units developed on land owned by a religious sect or denomination pursuant 1872 to this section. Any local preference shall comply with all applicable federal and state fair 1873 housing laws and shall include current residents, employees of the municipality and local 1874 businesses, including persons hired to work in the municipality and households with children 1875 attending the municipality’s schools. 1876 (g) Not more than 2 housing units or 5 per cent of the total multifamily housing units 1877 developed under this section, whichever is less, may be set aside for occupancy by employees of 1878 the religious sect or denomination owning the land. 1879 (h) The executive office of housing and livable communities may promulgate regulations 1880 or guidelines, as necessary, to implement this section. 1881

SECTION 43. Section 3C of said chapter 40A, inserted by section 42, is hereby amended 1882 by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 1883 (c) A city or town that adopts commercial conversion as of right zoning pursuant to this 1884 section may provide any of the following local contributions: (i) a tax increment exemption for 1885 adaptive reuse pursuant to section 5P of chapter 59; (ii) adoption of a streamlined approval 1886 process pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (b); or (iii) any other local contributions as 1887 determined by the executive office. 87 of 225 1888 SECTION 44. Section 5 of said chapter 40A, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is 1889 hereby amended by inserting after the word “appeals”, in line 6, the following words:- , a mayor. 1890 SECTION 45. Said section 5 of said chapter 40A, as so appearing, is hereby further 1891 amended by striking out, in line 92, the words “or (c) open-space residential development” and 1892 inserting in place thereof the following words:- (c) open-space residential development; or (d) 1893 commercial conversion pursuant to section 3C. 1894

SECTION 46. Section 6 of said chapter 40A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 1895 inserting after the word “to”, in line 13, the following words:- a structure used for commercial 1896 conversion pursuant to section 3C, to the extent allowed by section 3C or. 1897 SECTION 47. Said section 6 of said chapter 40A, as so appearing, is hereby further 1898 amended by striking out, in lines 34 to 38, inclusive, the words “shall conform to any subsequent 1899 amendment of the zoning ordinance or by-law or of any other local land use regulations unless 1900 the use or construction is commenced within a period of 3 years after the issuance of the special 1901 permit or site plan approval and” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- or a permit 1902 for commercial conversion issued pursuant to section 3C shall conform to any subsequent 1903 amendment of the zoning ordinance or by-law or of any other local land use regulations unless 1904 the use or construction is commenced within a period of 3 years after the issuance of the special 1905 permit, site plan approval or permit for commercial conversion. 1906

SECTION 48. Said chapter 40A is hereby further amended by inserting after section 7 1907 the following section:- 1908 Section 7A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 1909 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 88 of 225 1910 “Bulk and height of structures”, the articulation and roof lines of structures; provided, 1911 however, that performance standards governing bulk and height of structures shall not be more 1912 restrictive than the dimensional requirements set forth in the ordinance or by-law, nor require 1913 specific building materials. Articulation, as used herein, shall refer to the following strategies to 1914 address building massing: wall offsets, height variation, wall setbacks, accent lines, stepbacks or 1915 such other industry standard types of articulation as may be proposed by the petitioner. 1916 “Designated authority”, the local municipal board, committee or officials designated in 1917 the zoning ordinance or by-law to conduct site plan review. 1918 “Performance standards”, written municipal zoning regulations, published industry 1919 standards and best practices, applicable to site plans and relative to traffic circulation and safety, 1920 pedestrian safety and access, off-street parking and loading, emergency vehicle access, 1921 stormwater drainage, screening, bulk and height of structures, exterior lighting and storage or 1922 other outdoor service areas. 1923 (b) Substantive provisions of site plan review, including content of submittal 1924 requirements and applicable performance standards, governing site plan review and approval by 1925 the designated authority or authorities shall be as set forth within a local ordinance or by-law 1926 adopted pursuant to section 5. 1927 (c) Performance standards shall be reasonably definite and objective. No zoning by-law 1928 or ordinance shall include performance standards governing the aesthetics of structures. The 1929 designated authority may, where such action is in the public interest and not inconsistent with the 1930 intent and purpose of this section, waive strict compliance with the performance standards for 1931 site plan review. The designated authority may adopt, and from time to time amend, written 89 of 225 1932 procedural rules and regulations to implement the local site plan review ordinance or by-law, 1933 including provisions for the imposition of reasonable fees for the employment of outside 1934 consultants in the same manner as set forth in section 53G of chapter 44. 1935 (d)(1) A zoning ordinance or by-law may establish applicability standards for projects 1936 that are subject to site plan review, which may include a category of projects that shall be subject 1937 to a minor or administrative site plan review process. 1938 (2) The zoning ordinance or by-law may require a public hearing in accordance with 1939 section 11 for projects that meet or exceed specified thresholds under the zoning ordinance or 1940 by-law. 1941 (3) The decision of the designated authority for a use allowed as of right, or for a use 1942 requiring a special permit but reviewed by a separate designated authority, shall require a simple 1943 majority vote of the designated authority and shall be made within the time limits prescribed by 1944 ordinance or by-law, not to exceed 90 days from the date of filing of a complete application or 1945 such extended time as may be agreed in writing by the petitioner. The submission and review 1946 process for a site plan required in connection with the issuance of a special permit, and subject to 1947 review by the same permit granting authority as the special permit application, shall be 1948 conducted with the review of the special permit application in a coordinated process and may 1949 require the same quantum of vote required for approval of a special permit. 1950 (4) The ordinance or by-law may establish the designated authority to be the building 1951 commissioner, director of planning or other municipal official who coordinates administrative 1952 site plan review with other municipal employees, in which instance there shall be no vote 1953 requirement for site plan review. 90 of 225 1954 (5) Any appeal from administrative site plan review shall be in accordance with section 1955 17 unless an ordinance or by-law first provides for an appeal to another public body of the 1956 municipality. In no instance shall the issuance or denial of a building permit be a prerequisite to 1957 the filing of a civil action under this section. 1958 (e) Site plan review shall impose only those conditions that are necessary to ensure 1959 substantial compliance of the proposed use of land or structures with the requirements of the 1960 zoning ordinance or by-law; provided, that no condition shall impose restrictions greater than 1961 those expressly regulated within the zoning ordinance or by-law and no conditions shall be 1962 imposed regarding matters over which jurisdiction exclusively lies in another body pursuant to 1963 any general or special law; and provided further, that any off-site conditions shall only address 1964 direct adverse impacts related to performance standards expressly governed by the zoning 1965 ordinance or by-law and which conditions are proportionate in both nature and extent to the 1966 impacts of the project on adjacent properties or adjacent roadways. 1967 (f) A site plan application may be denied only on the grounds that: (i) the proposed site 1968 plan does not meet the specific requirements set forth in the zoning ordinance or by-law; or (ii) 1969 the petitioner failed to submit the information and fees required by the zoning ordinance or by- 1970 law necessary for an adequate and timely review of the design of the proposed land or structures. 1971 (g)(1) The designated authority shall cause to be made a detailed record of its 1972 proceedings pursuant to subsection (d), indicating the vote of each member upon each question, 1973 or if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact and setting forth clearly the reason for its 1974 decision and of its official actions, copies of all of which shall be filed within 14 days in the 1975 office of the city or town clerk and shall be deemed a public record. Notice of the decision shall 91 of 225 1976 be mailed forthwith to the petitioner and, if such site plan review required a public hearing 1977 pursuant to the zoning ordinance or by-law, to the parties in interest designated in section 11. 1978 (2) Each notice shall specify that appeals, if any, shall be made pursuant to section 17 and 1979 shall be filed within 20 days after the date of filing of such notice in the office of the city or town 1980 clerk. Failure by the designated authority to take final action within said 90 days or extended 1981 time, if applicable, shall be deemed to be an approval of the site plan. The petitioner who seeks 1982 such approval by reason of the failure of the designated authority to act within such time 1983 prescribed shall notify the city or town clerk, in writing, within 14 days from the expiration of 1984 said 90 days or extended time, if applicable, of such approval. 1985 (3) If the site plan review requires a public hearing, the petitioner shall send such notice 1986 to parties in interest designated in section 11 by mail and each notice shall specify that appeals, if 1987 any, shall be made pursuant to section 17 and shall be filed within 20 days after the date the city 1988 or town clerk received such written notice from the petitioner that the designated authority failed 1989 to act within the time prescribed. After the expiration of 20 days without notice of appeal 1990 pursuant to section 17, or, if appeal has been taken, after receipt of certified records of the court 1991 in which such appeal is adjudicated, indicating that such approval has become final, the city or 1992 town clerk shall issue a certificate stating the date of approval, the fact that the designated 1993 authority failed to take final action and that the approval resulting from such failure has become 1994 final, and such certificate shall be forwarded to the petitioner. 1995 (h) A site plan approval granted under this section shall lapse within a specified period of 1996 time, not less than 3 years from the date of the filing of such approval with the city or town clerk, 1997 if substantial use or construction has not yet begun, except as extended for good cause by the 92 of 225 1998 designated authority. The specified period shall not include time required to pursue or await the 1999 determination of an appeal under section 17 or to pursue or await the appeal of any other permit, 2000 license, determination or approval that are prerequisites to issuance of a building permit. The 2001 minimum period of 3 years may, by ordinance or by-law, be increased. 2002

SECTION 49. Section 14 of said chapter 40A, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, 2003 is hereby amended by inserting after clause (4) the following clause:- 2004 (5) To hear and decide applications for commercial conversion upon which the board is 2005 empowered to act pursuant to subsection (b) of section 3C. 2006 SECTION 50. Section 15 of said chapter 40A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2007 striking out, in lines 36 and 37, the words “The board of appeals shall hold a hearing on any 2008 appeal, application or petition within sixty-five” and inserting in place thereof the following 2009 words:- Except as provided under paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of section 3C, the board of 2010 appeals shall hold a hearing on any appeal, application or petition within 65. 2011 SECTION 51. Said section 15 of said chapter 40A, as so appearing, is hereby further 2012 amended by inserting, after the word “to”, in line 51, the following words:- permits for 2013 commercial conversion, as provided for in paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of section 3C, and. 2014

SECTION 52. The fourth paragraph of section 4 of chapter 40G of the General Laws, as 2015 so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out clause (8) and inserting in place thereof the 2016 following clause:- 2017 (8) the enterprise shall report adequate financial data to the MTDC and provide MTDC 2018 with sufficient control over the management of the enterprise, so as to protect the investment of 93 of 225 2019 the MTDC, including, in the discretion of the board, right of access to financial and other records 2020 of the enterprise. 2021 SECTION 53. Said section 4 of said chapter 40G, as so appearing, is hereby further 2022 amended by striking out, in line 68, the figure “$1,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the 2023 following figure:- $2,000,000. 2024 SECTION 54. Said section 4 of said chapter 40G, as so appearing, is hereby further 2025 amended by striking out, in line 69, the figure “$2,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the 2026 following figure:- $4,000,000. 2027 SECTION 55. Said section 4 of said chapter 40G, as so appearing, is hereby further 2028 amended by striking out, in lines 82 to 94, paragraph (2). 2029

SECTION 56. Section 6 of said chapter 40G, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2030 striking out, in line 2, the word “ninety” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 120. 2031 SECTION 57. Said section 6 of said chapter 40G, as so appearing, is hereby further 2032 amended by striking out, in lines 5 to 7, inclusive, the words “and the number of persons hired as 2033 a result of the activities of the corporation who were recipients of programs provided for in 2034 chapter 115, 117A, or 118”. 2035

SECTION 58. Chapter 40J of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out 2036 section 3 and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 2037 Section 3. (a) There is hereby created a body, politic and corporate, to be known as the 2038 Massachusetts Technology Park Corporation, hereinafter referred to as the corporation. The 2039 corporation is hereby constituted a public instrumentality of the commonwealth and the exercise 94 of 225 2040 by the corporation of the powers conferred in this chapter shall be deemed and held to be an 2041 essential governmental function. The corporation is hereby placed in the executive office of 2042 economic development but shall not be subject to the supervision or control of the department or 2043 of any board, bureau, department or other agency of the commonwealth except as specifically 2044 provided in this chapter. 2045 (b)(1) The corporation shall be governed and its corporate powers exercised by a board of 2046 directors, which shall consist of: the secretary of economic development or a designee; the 2047 secretary of administration and finance or a designee; the commissioner of higher education or a 2048 designee; and 15 persons to be appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be appointed from a 2049 list of persons nominated by the president of the senate, 2 of whom shall be appointed from a list 2050 of persons nominated by the speaker of the house of representatives, 2 of whom shall be chief 2051 executive officers of post-secondary educational institutions or distinguished members of the 2052 engineering or scientific faculties of those institutions, or members of other appropriate faculties, 2053 and of those 2, at least 1 shall represent a public post-secondary educational institution, and 6 of 2054 whom shall represent businesses concerned with any technology which may be subject to this 2055 chapter and 2 of whom shall be recommended by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. 2056 (2) Each director appointed from the list of nominations recommended by the president 2057 of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall serve a term of 2 years to be 2058 coterminous with the legislative session of the general court. Each director appointed by the 2059 governor shall serve for a term of 5 years and thereafter until the director’s successor is 2060 appointed. A person appointed to fill a vacancy on the board shall be appointed in a like manner 2061 and shall serve for the unexpired term of the predecessor director. 95 of 225 2062 (3) A director shall be eligible for reappointment. A director may be removed by the 2063 governor for cause. Nine directors shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of a 2064 majority of the directors present and eligible to vote at a meeting shall be necessary for any 2065 action to be taken by the board. The directors shall serve without compensation, but each director 2066 shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance 2067 of official duties. 2068 (4) The board shall meet not less than 4 times each year and shall have final authority 2069 over the activities of the corporation. 2070 (5) The secretary of economic development or a designee shall serve as chairperson. The 2071 board shall biennially elect from among its members a vice-chairperson and may designate a 2072 treasurer and a secretary, who need not be members of the board. The secretary shall keep a 2073 record of the proceedings of the corporation and shall be the custodian of all books, documents 2074 and papers filed with the corporation and its official seal. The secretary shall cause copies to be 2075 made of all minutes and other records and documents of the corporation and shall certify that 2076 such copies are true copies and all persons dealing with the corporation may rely upon such 2077 certification. The treasurer shall be the chief financial and accounting officer of the corporation 2078 and shall be in charge of its funds, books of account and accounting records. 2079 (d) The executive committee of the board shall consist of the chairperson, the vice- 2080 chairperson and not less than 3 individuals elected biennially by the board from among its 2081 members, 1 of whom shall be a board member representing a post-secondary educational 2082 institution and 1 of whom shall be a board member from a business. The executive committee 2083 shall have all the powers of the board between meetings of the board, to be exercised in 96 of 225 2084 accordance with by-laws established by the board. The executive committee shall meet as often 2085 as considered necessary by the committee. 2086 (e) Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the directors may be 2087 taken without a meeting if all of the directors consent in writing to such action and such written 2088 consent is filed with the records of the minutes of the meetings of the board. Such consent shall 2089 be treated for all purposes as a vote at a meeting. 2090 (f) Chapter 268A shall apply to all directors, officers and employees of the corporation 2091 except that the corporation may purchase from, sell to, borrow from, contract with or otherwise 2092 deal with any organization in which any director of the corporation is in any way interested or 2093 involved; provided, however, that such interest or involvement shall be disclosed in advance to 2094 the directors and recorded in the minutes of the proceedings of the corporation; and provided 2095 further, that no director having such an interest or involvement shall participate in any decision 2096 relating to such organization. 2097 (g) Neither the corporation nor any of its officers, directors, agents, employees, 2098 consultants or advisors shall be subject to section 3B of chapter 7, sections 9A, 45, 46 and 52 of 2099 chapter 30, chapter 31, or sections 27 to 27E, inclusive, of chapter 149; provided, however, that 2100 in purchasing products or services, the corporation shall at all times follow generally accepted 2101 good business practices. 2102 (h) All officers and employees of the corporation having access to its cash or negotiable 2103 securities shall give bond to the corporation at its expense, in such amount and with such surety 2104 as the board may prescribe. The persons required to give bond may be included in 1 or more 2105 blanket or scheduled bonds. 97 of 225 2106 (i) Directors and officers who are not regular, compensated employees of the corporation 2107 shall not be liable to the commonwealth, to the corporation or to any other person as a result of 2108 their activities, whether ministerial or discretionary, as such directors or officers except for 2109 willful dishonesty or intentional violations of law. The board of the corporation may purchase 2110 liability insurance for directors, officers and employees and may indemnify said persons against 2111 the claims of others. 2112 SECTION 58A. Section 5 of chapter 40V of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 2113 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “department”, in lines 19 and 20, 2114 the following words:- ; provided, that the department may authorize up to $5,000,000 in credits 2115 to an individual project. 2116

SECTION 59. Section 56 of chapter 41 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 2117 amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- 2118 This section shall not prohibit payment to be made for: (i) school travel prior to the date of 2119 travel; (ii) the payment of software licenses, software maintenance agreements or online 2120 subscription services for school curriculum prior to the fiscal year in which services shall be 2121 rendered; or (iii) the payment of estimates issued by utilities for make-ready work to facilitate 2122 access to utility poles, conduits, ducts or rights-of-way related to broadband infrastructure 2123 projects. 2124 SECTION 60. Section 5 of chapter 44B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 2125 amended by inserting after the word “sites”, in line 49, the following words:- and may 2126 recommend a preference for projects developed under zoning adopted pursuant to section 3C of 2127 chapter 40A. 98 of 225 2128

SECTION 61. Said section 5 of said chapter 44B is hereby further amended by striking 2129 out the words “and may recommend a preference for projects developed under zoning adopted 2130 pursuant to section 3C of chapter 40A”, inserted by section 60. 2131

SECTION 62. Chapter 59 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 2132 section 5O the following 2 sections:- 2133 Section 5P. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 2134 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 2135 “Adaptive reuse”, as defined in section 3C of chapter 40A. 2136 “Executive office”, the executive office of housing and livable communities. 2137 “Zoning”, as defined in section 1A of chapter 40A. 2138 (b) A city or town that adopts commercial conversion as of right zoning pursuant to 2139 section 3C of chapter 40A may adopt a tax increment exemption for an adaptive reuse project. 2140 The exemption amount shall be not less than 10 per cent and not more than 100 per cent of the 2141 incremental value attributable to the residential portion of an adaptive reuse project allowed as of 2142 right under zoning established pursuant to said section 3C of said chapter 40A for a period of not 2143 less than 5 years and not more than 20 years. The legislative body of the city or town shall 2144 establish the percentage and term of the exemption, subject to the charter of the city or town and 2145 the approval of the executive office. 2146 (c) The executive office may promulgate regulations for the administration of this 2147 section. 99 of 225 2148 Section 5Q. (a) Any city or town that accepts this section may grant an exemption of up 2149 to the full amount of the taxable valuation of multifamily housing developed on land owned by a 2150 religious sect or denomination pursuant to section 3D of chapter 40A. A city or town that accepts 2151 this section shall adopt an ordinance or by-law specifying the method for negotiating and 2152 approving exemptions pursuant to this section. This section shall take effect in any city or town 2153 only upon its acceptance by such city or town. 2154 (b) The executive office of housing and livable communities may promulgate regulations 2155 for the administration of this section. 2156

SECTION 63. Paragraph (2) of subsection (l) of section 6 of chapter 62 of the General 2157 Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 543, 2158 the words “12 month period” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 24-month 2159 period. 2160 SECTION 63A. Said subsection (l) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, 2161 is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:- 2162 (9) A motion picture for which a tax credit is issued pursuant to this subsection shall 2163 include a credit and a logo, approved by the commissioner, in consultation with the 2164 Massachusetts film office, stating that the motion picture was filmed in Massachusetts and 2165 displaying a logo designed and approved by the Massachusetts film office. The credit shall 2166 include the following title: “Proudly Made in Massachusetts”. 2167

SECTION 64. Subsection (r) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is 2168 hereby amended by striking out paragraph (1) and inserting in place thereof the following 2169 paragraph:- 100 of 225 2170 (1) A taxpayer, to the extent authorized by the life sciences tax incentive program 2171 established in section 5 of chapter 23I, may be allowed a refundable jobs credit against the tax 2172 liability imposed under this chapter in an amount and schedule determined by the Massachusetts 2173 Life Sciences Center in consultation with the department of revenue. The credit allowed under 2174 this section shall be taken only after the taxpayer executes a written agreement pursuant to 2175 paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of said section 5 of said chapter 23I. 2176 SECTION 65. Paragraph (2) of said subsection (r) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as 2177 so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 920, the figure “50” and inserting in 2178 place thereof the following figure:- 25. 2179

SECTION 66. Said subsection (r) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is 2180 hereby further amended by adding the following 2 paragraphs:- 2181 (5) If the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center revokes the certification of a life sciences 2182 company pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of section 5 of chapter 23I, a portion of the 2183 tax credit otherwise allowed by this section and claimed by the taxpayer prior to the date on 2184 which the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center makes the determination to revoke the life 2185 sciences company’s certification shall be added back as additional tax due and shall be reported 2186 as such on the return of the taxpayer for the taxable period in which the determination to revoke 2187 the certification is made. The amount of credits subject to recapture shall be proportionate to the 2188 life science company’s compliance, as determined by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center as 2189 part of its revocation process and reported to the corporation and the department at the time 2190 certification is revoked. 101 of 225 2191 (6) Nothing in this subsection shall limit the authority of the commissioner to make an 2192 adjustment to a taxpayer’s liability upon audit. 2193 SECTION 66A. Said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is hereby further 2194 amended by striking out, in lines 893 and 903, the figure “$30,000,000”, each time it appears, 2195 and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following figure:- $40,000,000. 2196

SECTION 67. Subsection (gg) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is 2197 hereby amended by inserting after the word “facility”, in line 1687, the following words:- in the 2198 case of an owner, and not more than 50 per cent of the owner and tenant’s combined total capital 2199 investment in a climatetech facility in the case of a tenant. 2200 SECTION 68. Said subsection (gg) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, 2201 is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 1702, the words “has made a” and inserting in 2202 place thereof the following words:- and tenant have made a combined. 2203

SECTION 69. Subsection (hh) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is 2204 hereby amended by striking out paragraph (1) and inserting in place thereof the following 2205 paragraph:- 2206 (1) A taxpayer, to the extent authorized by the climatetech tax incentive program 2207 established in section 16 of chapter 23J, may be allowed a refundable jobs credit against the tax 2208 liability imposed under this chapter in an amount and schedule determined by the Massachusetts 2209 clean energy technology center established in section 2 of said chapter 23J, in consultation with 2210 the department of revenue. The credit allowed under this section shall be taken only after the 2211 taxpayer executes a contract pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of section 16 of chapter 2212 23J. 102 of 225 2213

SECTION 70. Said subsection (hh) of said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, 2214 is hereby further amended by adding the following 2 paragraphs:- 2215 (6) If the Massachusetts clean energy technology center revokes the certification of a 2216 climatetech company pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 16 of chapter 23J, a 2217 portion of the tax credit otherwise allowed by this section and claimed by the taxpayer prior to 2218 the date on which the Massachusetts clean energy technology makes the determination to revoke 2219 the climatetech company’s certification shall be added back as additional tax due and shall be 2220 reported as such on the return of the taxpayer for the taxable period in which the determination to 2221 revoke the certification is made. The amount of credits subject to recapture shall be proportionate 2222 to the climatetech company’s compliance, as determined by the Massachusetts clean energy 2223 technology center as part of its revocation process and reported to the climatetech company and 2224 the department at the time certification is revoked. 2225 (7) Nothing in this subsection shall limit the authority of the commissioner to make an 2226 adjustment to a taxpayer’s liability upon audit. 2227 SECTION 70A. Said section 6 of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is hereby further 2228 amended by adding the following subsection:- 2229 (ll)(1) As used in this subsection, the following words shall, unless the context clearly 2230 requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 2231 “Development costs”, ordinary and necessary costs directly attributable to qualified digital game 2232 development, including, but not limited to, software engineering, programming, game design, 2233 writing, art, animation, visual effects, audio production, music composition, quality assurance, 2234 localization, user interface and user experience design, performance capture, motion capture, 103 of 225 2235 testing, live operations, post-launch support, downloadable content, development hardware and 2236 software, licensing costs directly related to development and professional services directly 2237 related to development. “Development costs” shall not include expenditures for marketing, 2238 advertising, promotion, distribution, general corporate overhead unrelated to qualified digital 2239 game development, financing costs, lobbying expenses, costs associated with the transfer of tax 2240 credits or amounts reimbursed by the commonwealth. 2241 “Digital game development company”, a corporation, partnership, limited liability 2242 company or other business entity engaged in qualified digital game development. “Digital game 2243 development company” shall not include any company that is more than 25 per cent owned, 2244 affiliated or controlled by any company or person that is in default on a loan made by the 2245 commonwealth or a loan guaranteed by the commonwealth. 2246 “Massachusetts development costs”, development costs attributable to property used or 2247 services performed within the commonwealth directly related to qualified digital game 2248 development. 2249 “Massachusetts payroll”, salaries, wages and other compensation constituting 2250 Massachusetts source income and paid to employees directly engaged in qualified digital game 2251 development. “Massachusetts payroll” shall not include any compensation paid to any individual 2252 employee in excess of $1,000,000 during the taxable year. 2253 “Qualified digital game development”, the design, development, programming, 2254 engineering, production, testing, modification, localization, deployment, maintenance, support or 2255 live operation of an interactive digital game intended for commercial distribution or use on a 2256 computer, console, mobile device, cloud-based platform or other digital platform, including 104 of 225 2257 downloadable content, expansion content, post-launch content updates and game development 2258 tools developed for commercial use. “Qualified digital game development” shall not include: (i) 2259 software developed primarily for the internal operations of a business; (ii) internet websites or 2260 applications whose primary purpose is advertising, marketing or electronic commerce; (iii) 2261 gambling, casino gaming, sports wagering or fantasy sports platforms; or (iv) products developed 2262 primarily for political advocacy. 2263 “Qualified digital game development project”, a project undertaken by a digital game 2264 development company for qualified digital game development that has been certified by the 2265 secretary pursuant to this subsection. 2266 “Secretary”, the secretary of economic development. 2267 (2) A digital game development company shall be allowed a credit against the taxes 2268 imposed by this chapter, for a qualified digital game development project, equal to 25 per cent 2269 of: (i) Massachusetts payroll; and (ii) Massachusetts development costs other than Massachusetts 2270 payroll; provided, however, that Massachusetts development costs shall equal or exceed $50,000 2271 during the taxable year; and provided further, that a qualified digital game development project 2272 shall not exceed 5 consecutive taxable years. 2273 (3) A digital game development company shall be allowed an additional credit against the 2274 taxes imposed by this chapter equal to 25 per cent of all Massachusetts development costs, not 2275 including the payroll expenses used to claim a credit pursuant to paragraph (2), where the 2276 qualified digital game development project takes place in a gateway municipality. 2277 (4) The tax credit shall be taken against the taxes imposed under this chapter and shall, at 2278 the election of the taxpayer, be refundable to the extent provided for in section 6L. Any amount 105 of 225 2279 of the tax credit that exceeds the tax due for a taxable year may be carried forward by the 2280 taxpayer to any of the 5 subsequent taxable years. 2281 (5)(i) All or any portion of tax credits issued in accordance with this subsection may be 2282 transferred, sold or assigned to other taxpayers with tax liabilities under this chapter or chapter 2283 63. Any tax credit that is transferred, sold or assigned and taken against taxes imposed by this 2284 chapter or said chapter 63 shall not be refundable. Any amount of the tax credit that exceeds the 2285 tax due for a taxable year may be carried forward by the transferee, buyer or assignee to any of 2286 the 5 subsequent taxable years from which a certificate is initially issued by the department of 2287 revenue. 2288 (ii) An owner, transferee or assignee desiring to make a transfer, sale or assignment shall 2289 submit to the commissioner a statement that describes the amount of tax credit for which the 2290 transfer, sale or assignment of tax credit is eligible. The owner, transferee or assignee shall 2291 provide to the commissioner such information as the commissioner may require for the proper 2292 allocation of the credit. The commissioner shall provide to the taxpayer a certificate of eligibility 2293 to transfer, sell or assign the tax credits. The commissioner shall not issue a certificate to a 2294 taxpayer that has an outstanding tax obligation with the commonwealth in connection with any 2295 qualified digital game development project for any prior taxable year. A tax credit shall not be 2296 transferred, sold or assigned without a certificate. 2297 (6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, aggregate salary and 2298 compensation amounts including all per diems, housing and other allowances, paid to, or for the 2299 services of, an individual shall not qualify for the credit under this section or for the credit under 2300 section 38XX of chapter 63 to the extent that such amounts exceed $2,000,000. 106 of 225 2301 (7) The secretary, in consultation with the commissioner, shall establish procedures for 2302 the certification of digital game development projects, digital game development companies and 2303 Massachusetts development costs. 2304 (8) The commissioner, in consultation with the secretary, shall promulgate such rules and 2305 regulations as necessary for the administration of this subsection. 2306

SECTION 71. Section 6J of said chapter 62, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2307 inserting after the word “criteria”, in line 46, the following words:- , and there shall be a 2308 preference for projects that are adaptive reuse allowed as-of-right in commercially zoned districts 2309 pursuant to section 3C of chapter 40A. 2310 SECTION 72. Said section 6J of said chapter 62 is hereby further amended by striking 2311 out the words “, and there shall be a preference for projects that are adaptive reuse allowed as-of- 2312 right in commercially zoned districts pursuant to section 3C of chapter 40A”, inserted by section 2313 71. 2314

SECTION 73. Subsection (b) of section 21 of chapter 62C of the General Laws, as 2315 appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following 3 2316 paragraphs:- 2317 (32) the disclosure to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center established in section 3 of 2318 chapter 23I of return and wage reporting information of a life sciences company certified 2319 pursuant to subsection (b) of section 5 of said chapter 23I, that is: (i) received by the 2320 commissioner pursuant to this chapter or chapter 62E; and (ii) necessary for the administration of 2321 the life sciences tax incentive program authorized by subsection (d) of said section 5 of said 2322 chapter 23I. 107 of 225 2323 (33) the disclosure to the Massachusetts clean energy technology center established in 2324 section 2 of chapter 23J of return and wage reporting information of a climatetech company 2325 certified pursuant to subsection (b) of section 16 of said chapter 23J, that is: (i) received by the 2326 commissioner pursuant to this chapter or chapter 62E; and (ii) necessary for the administration of 2327 the climatetech tax incentive program authorized by paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of said 2328 section 16 of said chapter 23J. 2329 (34) the disclosure to the Massachusetts clean energy technology center established in 2330 section 2 of chapter 23J of return and wage reporting information of an offshore wind company 2331 certified pursuant to subsection (b) of section 8A of said chapter 23J, that is: (i) received by the 2332 commissioner pursuant to this chapter or chapter 62E; and (ii) necessary for the administration of 2333 the offshore wind tax incentive program authorized by subsection (d) of said section 8A of said 2334 chapter 23J. 2335 SECTION 73A. Section 31A of chapter 63 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 2336 hereby amended by striking out, in line 109, the word “three” and inserting in place thereof the 2337 following figure:- 6. 2338

SECTION 74. Section 38R of chapter 63 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 2339 amended by inserting after the word “criteria”, in line 45, the following words:- , and there shall 2340 be a preference for projects that are adaptive reuse allowed as-of-right in commercially zoned 2341 districts pursuant to section 3C of chapter 40A. 2342 SECTION 75. Said section 38R of said chapter 63 is hereby further amended by striking 2343 out the words “, and there shall be a preference for projects that are adaptive reuse allowed as-of- 108 of 225 2344 right in commercially zoned districts pursuant to section 3C of chapter 40A”, inserted by section 2345 74. 2346 SECTION 76. Section 38U of said chapter 63, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, 2347 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 51 and 52, the words “neither credit allowed by 2348 section 31A nor section 31H is taken” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- the 2349 credit allowed by section 31H is not taken. 2350

SECTION 77. Section 38X of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2351 striking out, in line 49, the words “12 month period” and inserting in place thereof the words:- 2352 24-month period. 2353 SECTION 77A. Said section 38X of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby further 2354 amended by adding the following subsection:- 2355 (h) A motion picture for which a tax credit is issued pursuant to this section shall include 2356 a credit and a logo, approved by the commissioner, in consultation with the Massachusetts film 2357 office, stating that the motion picture was filmed in Massachusetts and displaying a logo 2358 designed and approved by the Massachusetts film office. The credit shall include the following 2359 title: “Proudly Made in Massachusetts”. 2360 SECTION 77B. Section 38BB of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2361 striking out, in lines 42 and 53, the figure “$30,000,000” and inserting in place thereof, in each 2362 instance, the following figure:- $40,000,000. 2363

SECTION 78. Section 38CC of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2364 striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 109 of 225 2365 (a) A taxpayer, to the extent authorized by the life sciences tax incentive program 2366 established in section 5 of chapter 23I, may be allowed a refundable jobs credit against the tax 2367 liability imposed under this chapter in an amount and schedule determined by the Massachusetts 2368 Life Sciences Center in consultation with the department. The credit allowed under this section 2369 shall be taken only after the taxpayer executes a contract pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection 2370 (d) of section 5 of chapter 23I. 2371 SECTION 79. Subsection (b) of said section 38CC of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is 2372 hereby amended by striking out, in line 7, the figure “50” and inserting in place thereof the 2373 following figure:- 25. 2374

SECTION 80. Subsection (c) of said section 38CC of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is 2375 hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- If the taxpayer is subject to a minimum 2376 excise under this chapter, the amount of the credit allowed by this section shall not reduce the 2377 excise to an amount less than the minimum excise. 2378 SECTION 81. Subsection (d) of said section 38CC of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is 2379 hereby amended by striking out, in line 20, the figure “30,000,000” and inserting in place thereof 2380 the following figure:- 40,000,000. 2381

SECTION 82. Said section 38CC of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby further 2382 amended by adding the following 2 subsections:- 2383 (e) If the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center revokes the certification of a life sciences 2384 company pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (e) of section 5 of chapter 23I, a portion of the 2385 tax credit otherwise allowed by this section and claimed by the company prior to the date on 2386 which the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center makes the determination to revoke its certification 110 of 225 2387 shall be added back as additional tax due and shall be reported as such on the return of the 2388 taxpayer for the taxable period in which the determination to revoke the certification is made. 2389 The amount of credits subject to recapture shall be proportionate to the company’s compliance, 2390 as determined by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center as part of its revocation process and 2391 reported to the corporation and the department at the time certification is revoked. 2392 (f) Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the commissioner of revenue to 2393 make an adjustment to a corporation’s liability upon audit. 2394

SECTION 83. Section 38RR of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2395 inserting after the word “facility”, in line 29, the following words:- in the case of an owner, and 2396 not more than 50 per cent of the owner and tenant’s combined total capital investment in a 2397 climatetech facility in the case of a tenant. 2398 SECTION 84. Said section 38RR of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby further 2399 amended by striking out, in lines 44 and 45, the words “owner’s total capital investment in the 2400 facility equals” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- owner and tenant have made 2401 a combined total capital investment in the facility that is. 2402

SECTION 85. Section 38TT of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2403 striking out subsection (a) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 2404 (a) A taxpayer, to the extent authorized by the climatetech tax incentive program 2405 established in subsection (d) of section 16 of chapter 23J, may be allowed a refundable jobs 2406 credit against the tax liability imposed under this chapter in an amount and schedule determined 2407 by the Massachusetts clean energy technology center established in section 2 of said chapter 23J, 2408 in consultation with the department of revenue. The credit allowed under this section shall be 111 of 225 2409 taken only after the taxpayer executes a written agreement pursuant to paragraph (3) of 2410 subsection (d) of said section 16 of said chapter 23J. 2411

SECTION 86. Said section 38TT of said chapter 63, as so appearing, is hereby further 2412 amended by adding the following 2 subsections:- 2413 (e) If the Massachusetts clean energy technology center revokes the certification of a 2414 climatetech company pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 16 of chapter 23J, a 2415 portion of the tax credit otherwise allowed by this section and claimed by the taxpayer prior to 2416 the date on which the Massachusetts clean energy technology makes the determination to revoke 2417 the climatetech company’s certification shall be added back as additional tax due and shall be 2418 reported as such on the return of the taxpayer for the taxable period in which the determination to 2419 revoke the certification is made. The amount of credits subject to recapture shall be proportionate 2420 to the climatetech company’s compliance, as determined by the Massachusetts clean energy 2421 technology center as part of its revocation process and reported to the climatetech company and 2422 the department at the time certification is revoked. 2423 (f) Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the commissioner of revenue to 2424 make an adjustment to a corporation's liability upon audit. 2425 SECTION 86A. Said chapter 63 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 2426 38WW the following section:- 2427 Section 38XX. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 2428 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 2429 “Commissioner”, the commissioner of revenue. 112 of 225 2430 “Development costs”, ordinary and necessary costs directly attributable to qualified 2431 digital game development, including, but not limited to, software engineering, programming, 2432 game design, writing, art, animation, visual effects, audio production, music composition, quality 2433 assurance, localization, user interface and user experience design, performance capture, motion 2434 capture, testing, live operations, post-launch support, downloadable content, development 2435 hardware and software, licensing costs directly related to development and professional services 2436 directly related to development. “Development costs” shall not include expenditures for 2437 marketing, advertising, promotion, distribution, general corporate overhead unrelated to qualified 2438 digital game development, financing costs, lobbying expenses, costs associated with the transfer 2439 of tax credits or amounts reimbursed by the commonwealth. 2440 “Digital game development company”, a corporation, partnership, limited liability 2441 company or other business entity engaged in qualified digital game development. “Digital game 2442 development company” shall not include any company that is more than 25 per cent owned, 2443 affiliated or controlled by any company or person that is in default on a loan made by the 2444 commonwealth or a loan guaranteed by the commonwealth. 2445 “Massachusetts development costs”, development costs attributable to property used or 2446 services performed within the commonwealth directly related to qualified digital game 2447 development. 2448 “Massachusetts payroll”, salaries, wages and other compensation constituting 2449 Massachusetts source income and paid to employees directly engaged in qualified digital game 2450 development. “Massachusetts payroll” shall not include any compensation paid to any individual 2451 employee in excess of $1,000,000 during the taxable year. 113 of 225 2452 “Qualified digital game development”, the design, development, programming, 2453 engineering, production, testing, modification, localization, deployment, maintenance, support or 2454 live operation of an interactive digital game intended for commercial distribution or use on a 2455 computer, console, mobile device, cloud-based platform or other digital platform, including 2456 downloadable content, expansion content, post-launch content updates and game development 2457 tools developed for commercial use. “Qualified digital game development” shall not include: (i) 2458 software developed primarily for the internal operations of a business; (ii) internet websites or 2459 applications whose primary purpose is advertising, marketing or electronic commerce; (iii) 2460 gambling, casino gaming, sports wagering or fantasy sports platforms; or (iv) products developed 2461 primarily for political advocacy. 2462 “Qualified digital game development project”, a project undertaken by a digital game 2463 development company for qualified digital game development that has been certified by the 2464 secretary pursuant to this section. 2465 “Secretary”, the secretary of economic development. 2466 (b) A digital game development company shall be allowed a credit against the taxes 2467 imposed by this chapter, for a qualified digital game development project, equal to 25 per cent 2468 of: (i) Massachusetts payroll; and (ii) Massachusetts development costs other than Massachusetts 2469 payroll; provided, however, that Massachusetts development costs shall equal or exceed $50,000 2470 during each taxable year; and provided further, that a qualified digital game development project 2471 shall not exceed 5 consecutive taxable years. 2472 (c) A digital game development company shall be allowed an additional credit against the 2473 taxes imposed by this chapter equal to 25 per cent of all Massachusetts development costs, not 114 of 225 2474 including the payroll expenses used to claim a credit pursuant to subsection (b), where the 2475 qualified digital game development project takes place in a gateway municipality. 2476 (d) The tax credit shall be taken against the taxes imposed under this chapter and shall, at 2477 the election of the taxpayer, be refundable to the extent provided for in section 32E. Any amount 2478 of the tax credit that exceeds the tax due for a taxable year may be carried forward by the 2479 taxpayer to any of the 5 subsequent taxable years. 2480 (e)(1) All or any portion of tax credits issued in accordance with the provisions of this 2481 section may be transferred, sold or assigned to other taxpayers with tax liabilities under this 2482 chapter or chapter 62. Any tax credit that is transferred, sold or assigned and taken against taxes 2483 imposed by this chapter or said chapter 62 shall not be refundable. Any amount of the tax credit 2484 that exceeds the tax due for a taxable year may be carried forward by the transferee, buyer or 2485 assignee to any of the 5 subsequent taxable years from which a certificate is initially issued by 2486 the department of revenue. 2487 (2) An owner, transferee or assignee desiring to make a transfer, sale or assignment shall 2488 submit to the commissioner a statement that describes the amount of tax credit for which the 2489 transfer, sale or assignment of tax credit is eligible. The owner, transferee or assignee shall 2490 provide to the commissioner such information as the commissioner may require for the proper 2491 allocation of the credit. The commissioner shall provide to the taxpayer a certificate of eligibility 2492 to transfer, sell or assign the tax credits. The commissioner shall not issue a certificate to a 2493 taxpayer that has an outstanding tax obligation with the commonwealth in connection with any 2494 qualified digital game development project for any prior taxable year. A tax credit shall not be 2495 transferred, sold or assigned without a certificate. 115 of 225 2496 (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, aggregate salary and 2497 compensation amounts including all per diems, housing and other allowances, paid to, or for the 2498 services of, an individual shall not qualify for the credit under this section or for the credit under 2499 paragraph (2) of subsection (ll) of section 6 of chapter 62 to the extent that such amounts exceed 2500 $2,000,000. 2501 (g) The secretary, in consultation with the commissioner, shall establish procedures for 2502 the certification of qualified digital game development projects, digital game development 2503 companies and Massachusetts development costs. 2504 (h) The commissioner, in consultation with the secretary, shall promulgate regulations as 2505 necessary for the administration of this section. 2506 SECTION 86B. Section 1 of chapter 64H of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 2507 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Commissioner” the 2508 following 2 definitions:- 2509 “Development costs”, as defined in subsection (ll) of section 6 of chapter 62. 2510 “Digital game development company”, as defined in subsection (ll) of section 6 of 2511 chapter 62. 2512 SECTION 86C. Said section 1 of said chapter 64H, as so appearing, is hereby further 2513 amended by inserting after the definition of “Purchaser” the following 2 definitions:- 2514 “Qualified digital game development”, as defined in subsection (ll) of section 6 of 2515 chapter 62. 116 of 225 2516 “Qualified digital game development project”, as defined in subsection (ll) of section 6 of 2517 chapter 62. 2518

SECTION 87. Section 6 of chapter 64H of the General Laws is hereby amended by 2519 striking out, in line 526, as so appearing, the figure “5” and inserting in place thereof the 2520 following figure:- 10. 2521 SECTION 88. Said section 6 of said chapter 64H is hereby further amended by striking 2522 out, in lines 527 and 528, as so appearing, the figure “1,000,000” and inserting in place thereof, 2523 in each instance, the following figure:- 2,000,000. 2524

SECTION 89. Subsection (ww) of said section 6 of said chapter 64H, as so appearing, is 2525 hereby amended by striking out the words “12 month period” and inserting in place thereof, in 2526 each instance, the following words:- 24-month period. 2527 SECTION 89A. Said section 6 of said chapter 64H, as amended by section 22 of chapter 2528 101 of the acts of 2026, is hereby further amended by adding the following subsection:- 2529 (bbb)(1) Sales of tangible personal property to a qualifying digital game development 2530 company for development costs related to a qualified digital game development project. 2531 (2) For the purposes of this subsection, a qualifying digital game development company 2532 shall incur in the aggregate not less than $50,000 in Massachusetts development costs with 2533 respect to a qualified digital game development project over a period not to exceed 5 consecutive 2534 taxable years and shall obtain a certification of the secretary of economic development and the 2535 approval of the commissioner. 117 of 225 2536 (3) Any digital game development company that intends to undertake a qualified digital 2537 game development project in the commonwealth and qualify for the exemption provided by this 2538 subsection shall provide an estimate of the total Massachusetts development costs expected to be 2539 incurred in connection with such project and shall designate a member or representative of the 2540 digital game development company as a primary liaison with the commissioner for the purpose 2541 of facilitating the proper reporting of expenditures and other information as required by the 2542 commissioner. The estimate of Massachusetts development costs shall be filed prior to the 2543 commencement of the qualified digital game development project in the commonwealth. Any 2544 qualifying digital game development company that has been certified and approved that fails to 2545 incur $50,000 in Massachusetts development costs with respect to a qualified digital game 2546 development project over a period not to exceed 5 consecutive taxable years shall be liable for 2547 the sales taxes that would have been paid had the certification and approval not been granted. 2548 The sales taxes shall be considered due as of the date that the taxable expenditures were made. 2549 (4) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of 2550 this subsection. 2551

SECTION 90. Section 2 of chapter 70B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 2552 amended by striking out, in lines 46 and 47, the words “and which meet the purposes of 2553 subsection (c) of section 9 of chapter 23J”. 2554 SECTION 90 1/4. Section 3A of said chapter 70B, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2555 striking out, in line 7, the figure “17” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 19. 118 of 225 2556 SECTION 90 1/2. Said section 3A of said chapter 70B is hereby further amended by 2557 inserting after the word “Inc.”, in line 21, the following words:- , Massachusetts Association of 2558 Vocational Administrators, Inc., Alliance for Vocational Technical Education. 2559 SECTION 90A. Section 30A of chapter 85 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 2560 hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- 2561 For purposes of this paragraph, a “superload” shall be any vehicle or combination of 2562 vehicles which: (i) exceeds 14 feet in width; (ii) is 14 feet in height or greater; (iii) is greater than 2563 135 feet in length; (iv) is 199,000 pounds or greater in gross vehicle weight; or (v) is a 2564 combination of the above. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the weight 2565 threshold for determination of a superload shall be those vehicles at or in excess of 199,000 2566 pounds gross vehicle weight. The department shall implement an application and fee schedule 2567 for expedited superload permits authorized under this section. A superload permit may include 2568 conditions and terms as determined by the administrator, pursuant to section 37 of chapter 6C; 2569 provided, that allowances shall be made for escort flexibility, where practicable, and engineering 2570 studies conducted not more than 12 months prior. 2571

SECTION 91. Section 1 of the chapter 90 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby 2572 amended by inserting after the definition of “Class 2 electric bicycle” the following definition:- 2573 “Class 3 electric bicycle”, an electric bicycle or tricycle equipped with a motor that 2574 provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when 2575 the bicycle reaches or exceeds the speed of 28 miles per hour. 2576 SECTION 92. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2577 amended by striking out, in line 104, the words “or a class 2 electric bicycle” and inserting in 119 of 225 2578 place thereof the following words:- , a class 2 electric bicycle or a class 3 electric bicycle; 2579 provided, that “electric bicycle” shall not include a motorized bicycle. 2580

SECTION 93. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2581 amended by inserting after the definition of “Massachusetts license” the following definition:- 2582 “Micromobility device”, a small, lightweight transportation device intended for personal 2583 use as an alternative to motor vehicles for travel in public access areas including ways and 2584 bikeways, and as may be further defined by regulations promulgated by the registrar; provided, 2585 that a “micromobility device” shall not include a motor vehicle, motorcycle, motorized bicycle 2586 or moped, low speed vehicle, limited use motorcycle or low speed motorcycle. 2587 SECTION 94. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2588 amended by inserting after the definition of “Mobile telephone” the following definition:- 2589 “Mobility aid device”, a device used by a pedestrian with a mobility disability to assist 2590 with indoor and outdoor locomotion, including an electric personal assistive mobility device 2591 used by a vulnerable user, a group wheelchair, a mobility cart and other such devices. 2592

SECTION 95. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2593 amended by striking out the definition of “Motorized bicycle” and inserting in place thereof the 2594 following definition:- 2595 “Motorized bicycle” or “moped”, a pedal bicycle which has a helper motor, or a non- 2596 pedal bicycle which has a motor, with either a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cubic 2597 centimeters or the hybrid or electric powered equivalent, an automatic transmission, and which is 120 of 225 2598 capable of a maximum speed of not more than 30 miles per hour; provided, that “motorized 2599 bicycle” shall not include an electric bicycle. 2600 SECTION 96. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2601 amended by striking out the definition of “Motorized scooter”. 2602 SECTION 97. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2603 amended by inserting after the definition of “Motor vehicles” the following definition:- 2604 “Nationally recognized testing laboratory”, as defined in 29 C.F.R 1910.7. 2605

SECTION 98. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2606 amended by inserting after the definition of “Police officer” the following definition:- 2607 “Powered micromobility device”, a micromobility device that has an onboard motor 2608 capable of delivering tractive power to the device either as power-assist to human powered 2609 propulsion or as sole propulsion or throttle. “Powered micromobility device” shall include 2610 electric scooters, skateboards, hoverboards and unicycles with onboard motors. “Powered 2611 micromobility device” shall not include mobility aid devices. 2612 SECTION 99. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2613 amended by inserting after the definition of “School pupil” the following definition:- 2614 “Scooter”, a powered or unpowered device without pedals where the rider can sit or stand 2615 on a footboard for typical operation. 2616

SECTION 100. Said section 1 of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2617 amended by inserting after the definition of “Semi-trailer unit” the following definition:- 121 of 225 2618 “Solely human powered micromobility device” or “unpowered micromobility device”, a 2619 micromobility device propelled exclusively by human muscular effort that has no onboard motor 2620 capable of delivering tractive power to the device; provided that “solely human powered 2621 micromobility device” shall include, but shall not be limited to, non-electric bicycles, unpowered 2622 scooters, skateboards, longboards, unicycles, roller skates, inline skates and other such 2623 unpowered micromobility devices. “Solely human powered micromobility device” or 2624 “unpowered micromobility device” shall not include mobility aid devices. 2625

SECTION 101. The first paragraph of section 1B of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is 2626 hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 2 2627 sentences:- A motorized bicycle shall not be operated upon any way within the commonwealth 2628 without obtaining an annual registration and sticker or plate bearing a distinctive number, by an 2629 application as prescribed by the registrar. A motorized bicycle shall not be operated upon any 2630 way within the commonwealth by any person under 16 years of age, nor at a speed in excess of 2631 25 miles per hour. 2632 SECTION 102. Said first paragraph of said section 1B of said chapter 90, as so 2633 appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place 2634 thereof the following sentence:- Motorized bicycles shall be excluded from operating on bike 2635 lanes and off-street recreational bicycle paths. 2636

SECTION 103. Said section 1B of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby further 2637 amended by adding the following paragraph:- 122 of 225 2638 No motorized bicycle shall be registered under this section unless the application is 2639 accompanied by a certificate as defined in section 34A or unless the registrar is otherwise 2640 satisfied that the applicant and motorized bicycle have compulsory liability insurance. 2641 SECTION 104. Section 1C of said chapter 90, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 2642 striking out, in line 1, the words “and motorized scooters”. 2643 SECTION 105. Section 1E of said chapter 90 is hereby repealed. 2644

SECTION 106. Said chapter 90 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 2 the 2645 following section:- 2646 Section 2½. (a) The registrar of motor vehicles may issue number or registration plates 2647 for motor vehicles or micromobility devices not otherwise defined in section 1; provided, that a 2648 motor vehicle or micromobility device shall not be eligible to be registered pursuant to chapter 2649 90B. 2650 (b) The registrar, in consultation with the division of insurance, may promulgate 2651 regulations, including, but not limited to: (i) definitions for each type of motor vehicle or 2652 micromobility devices not otherwise defined in section 1; (ii) requirements for registration and 2653 operation; (iii) any restrictions for registration and operation; (iv) equipment; (v) inspections; and 2654 (vi) insurance for the motor vehicles and micromobility devices. 2655

SECTION 107. Section 8B of said chapter 90, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, 2656 is hereby amended by striking out, in line 20, the words “or motorized scooter”. 2657 SECTION 107A. Said chapter 90 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 8N 2658 the following section:- 123 of 225 2659 Section 8O. (a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context 2660 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 2661 “AAMVA”, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. 2662 “Credential”, a license issued pursuant to section 8, a learner’s permit issued pursuant to 2663 section 8B or an identification card issued pursuant to section 8E. 2664 “Credential holder”, the individual that has been issued a physical or electronic 2665 credential. 2666 “Data element”, a distinct component of a customer’s information that is found on a 2667 registrar’s customer record. 2668 “Electronic credential”, an electronic extension of a physical credential that conveys 2669 identity and driving privilege information for purposes of displaying the credential on a mobile 2670 telephone or other electronic device and is in compliance with AAMVA’s Mobile Driver License 2671 Implementation Guidelines and the ISO/IEC 18013-5 standard. 2672 “Electronic credential system” or “system”, a digital process that includes a method for 2673 provisioning electronic credentials, requesting and transmitting electronic credential data 2674 elements and performing tasks to maintain the system. 2675 “ISO”, the International Organization for Standardization, which creates uniform 2676 processes and procedures. 2677 “Physical credential”, a credential issued by the registrar in its physical form. 2678 “Provision”, the initial loading of an electronic credential onto a device. 124 of 225 2679 “Relying party”, the entity to which the credential holder is presenting the electronic 2680 credential. 2681 “Verification Process”, a method of authenticating the electronic credential through the 2682 use of secure encrypted communication. 2683 (b)(1) The registrar shall establish an electronic credential system subject to the 2684 requirements of this section. 2685 (2) The system shall require the registrar to issue an electronic credential to any 2686 individual who is otherwise eligible to hold a physical credential. The electronic credential shall 2687 be issued in addition to, and not instead of, a physical credential. The data elements used to build 2688 an electronic credential shall match the data elements used by the registrar for that individual’s 2689 physical credential. 2690 (3) An electronic credential shall be valid for a specific period of time, to be established 2691 by the registrar. 2692 (4) The registrar may contract with 1 or more entities to develop and maintain the 2693 electronic credential system. 2694 (5) The registrar may enter into an agreement or contract with another department of the 2695 commonwealth, another state, the United States or a third party to facilitate the issuance, use or 2696 verification of an electronic credential issued under the system. 2697 (6) An electronic credential issued by the registrar shall be in accordance with the most 2698 recent AAMVA standards. 125 of 225 2699 (7) The registrar may assess a fee for the application and provision of an electronic 2700 credential. 2701 (c) The registrar shall ensure that the: (i) electronic credential data and the verification 2702 process complies with all data security and privacy protection laws of the commonwealth and the 2703 United States; and (ii) verification process requires the relying party to: (A) authenticate 2704 electronic credentials in accordance with applicable AAMVA standards prior to acceptance of 2705 the electronic credential; and (B) request only electronic credential data elements that are 2706 necessary to complete the transaction for which that data is being requested. 2707 (d)(1) Relying parties shall only retain electronic credential data elements for which the 2708 relying party explicitly obtained consent from the electronic credential holder. Relying parties 2709 shall inform the electronic credential holder of the use and retention period of the electronic data 2710 elements. 2711 (2) The electronic credential system shall be designed to maximize the privacy of the 2712 credential holder in accordance with state and federal law and shall not track or compile 2713 information without the credential holder’s consent. The registrar shall only compile or disclose 2714 information regarding use of the credential as required by state or federal law. 2715 (e)(1) The electronic credential holder shall be required to have their physical credential 2716 on their person while operating a motor vehicle. 2717 (2) The electronic credential system shall be designed so that there is no requirement for 2718 the electronic credential holder to display or relinquish possession of their mobile or electronic 2719 device to relying parties for the acceptance of an electronic credential. 126 of 225 2720 (3) Upon request by law enforcement, an electronic credential holder shall provide their 2721 physical credential. 2722 (4) Any law or regulation that requires an individual to surrender their physical credential 2723 to law enforcement shall not apply to the device on which an electronic credential has been 2724 provisioned. 2725 (f)(1) The display of an electronic credential shall not serve as consent or authorization 2726 for a law enforcement officer, or any person, to search, view or access any other data or 2727 application on the mobile or electronic device. If a person presents a mobile or electronic device 2728 to a law enforcement officer for purposes of displaying an electronic credential, the officer shall 2729 promptly return the device to the person once the officer has had an opportunity to verify the 2730 identity of the person. 2731 (2) Except for willful and wanton misconduct, any law enforcement office, court or 2732 officer of the court presented with a mobile or electronic device for purposes of displaying an 2733 electronic credential shall be immune from any liability resulting from damage to the mobile or 2734 electronic device. 2735 (g) The registrar shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this section. 2736

SECTION 108. Said chapter 90 is hereby further amended by adding the following 2737 section:- 2738 Section 64. (a) For purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the context 2739 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 127 of 225 2740 “Shared use path”, a path intended for transportation or recreational use that is designed 2741 for people of all ages and abilities on foot or using motorized or non-motorized micromobility 2742 devices and is physically separated from motorized vehicle traffic within a highway right-of-way 2743 or an independent right-of-way with few crossflows with motor vehicles. 2744 “Speed tier 0”, all unpowered micromobility devices and powered micromobility devices 2745 with a maximum manufacturer assisted or designed speed, whichever is higher, of 20 miles per 2746 hour, including, but not limited to, unpowered micromobility devices, class 1 and class 2 electric 2747 bicycles and mobility aid devices. 2748 “Speed tier 1”, powered micromobility devices with a maximum manufacturer assisted or 2749 designed speed, whichever is higher, between 21 miles per hour and 30 miles per hour, 2750 including, but not limited to, class 3 electric bicycles. 2751 “Speed tier 2”, powered micromobility devices with a maximum manufacturer assisted or 2752 designed speed, whichever is higher, between 31 miles per hour and 40 miles per hour, 2753 including, but not limited to, low speed vehicles, limited use motorcycles or low speed 2754 motorcycles. 2755 “Speed tier 3”, powered micromobility devices with a maximum manufacturer assisted or 2756 designed speed, whichever is higher, greater than 40 miles per hour. 2757 (b) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2758 powered micromobility devices sold, leased, rented or operated in the commonwealth shall have 2759 a minimum battery rating of UL 2271 or equivalent standard. 128 of 225 2760 (c) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2761 powered micromobility devices sold, leased, rented or operated in the commonwealth, except 2762 electric bicycles, shall have a minimum electrical system level rating of UL 2272 or equivalent 2763 standard. Electric bicycles sold, leased, rented or operated in the commonwealth shall have a 2764 minimum electrical system level rating of UL 2849 or equivalent standard. 2765 (d) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2766 motorized bicycles or mopeds powered by a lithium-ion battery sold, leased, rented or operated 2767 in the commonwealth shall meet or exceed an electrical system safety standard of UL 2850, as 2768 certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. 2769 (e)(1)(A) Except as otherwise required by state or federal law or regulations of the 2770 registrar, speed tier 0 and speed tier 1 micromobility devices sold, leased, rented or operated in 2771 the commonwealth shall be equipped with lights, brakes and an audible warning that satisfy the 2772 requirements of section 11B of chapter 85 and federal requirements for bicycle reflectors and 2773 brakes established in 16 C.F.R. 1512. 2774 (B) Except as otherwise required by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2775 speed tier 2 and speed tier 3 micromobility devices sold, leased, rented or operated in the 2776 commonwealth shall be equipped with lights, brakes and a horn that satisfy the requirements for 2777 motor vehicles established in 49 C.F.R. 571. 2778 (2)(A) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2779 any person 16 years of age or younger operating a speed tier 0 micromobility device, except for a 2780 mobility aid device, or being carried as a passenger on such micromobility device on a public 2781 way, bicycle path or on any other public right-of-way shall wear a helmet. Said helmet shall fit 129 of 225 2782 the person’s head, shall be secured to the person’s head by straps while the micromobility device 2783 is being operated and shall meet the standards for helmets established by the United States 2784 Consumer Product Safety Commission pursuant to 16 C.F.R. 1203. This subparagraph shall not 2785 apply to a passenger if the passenger is in an enclosed trailer or other device which adequately 2786 holds the passenger in place and protects the passenger’s head from impact in a crash. 2787 (B) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, a 2788 person operating a speed tier 1, 2 or 3 micromobility device or riding as a passenger on a 2789 micromobility device shall wear protective headgear conforming with such minimum standards 2790 of construction and performance as the registrar may prescribe, and no person operating such a 2791 micromobility device shall permit any other person to ride as a passenger on such micromobility 2792 device unless such passenger is wearing such protective headgear. 2793 (3) Except as otherwise required by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, it 2794 shall be unlawful for any person younger than 16 years of age to purchase, rent, lease or operate 2795 any micromobility device designated as a speed tier 1, speed tier 2 or speed tier 3 micromobility 2796 device; provided, however, that this restriction shall not apply to mobility aid devices. 2797 (4) Except as otherwise required by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, it 2798 shall be unlawful for any person younger than 16 years of age to purchase, rent, lease or operate 2799 any powered micromobility device, motorized bicycle or moped designated as a speed tier 0, 2800 speed tier 1, speed tier 2 or speed tier 3 micromobility device; provided, however, that this 2801 restriction shall not apply to solely human powered micromobility devices, unpowered 2802 micromobility devices or mobility aid devices. 130 of 225 2803 (5) It shall be unlawful to operate a micromobility device with more passengers than the 2804 device was designed to accommodate by the manufacturer, except as may be allowed by 2805 regulation. 2806 (6)(A) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2807 speed tier 0 micromobility devices and the operator of a speed tier 0 micromobility device shall 2808 be afforded all of the rights and privileges and shall be subject to all of the duties of the operator 2809 of a bicycle or duties related to a bicycle set forth in sections 11B and 11B½ of chapter 85 or any 2810 other general or special law, regulation or local ordinance. 2811 (B) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, 2812 speed tier 1 micromobility devices and the operator of such speed tier 1 micromobility device 2813 shall be afforded all of the rights and privileges and shall be subject to all of the duties of the 2814 operator of an electric bicycle or duties related to an electric bicycle set forth in section 11B¾ of 2815 chapter 85 or any other general or special law, regulation or local ordinance. 2816 (C) Except as otherwise provided by state or federal law or regulations of the registrar, it 2817 shall be unlawful for any speed tier 2 or speed tier 3 micromobility devices to travel on 2818 sidewalks, bike lanes, bike paths, bike routes, separated micromobility lanes or shared use paths. 2819 (f) It shall be unlawful to make any aftermarket modifications to a micromobility device, 2820 including aftermarket modifications made to the device’s battery, to increase either the 2821 manufacturer-designed: (i) speed, range or propulsion power of a micromobility device; or (ii) 2822 passenger capacity of a micromobility device, except as may be allowed by regulation. 2823 (g) No micromobility device shall be sold, rented, leased or operated in the 2824 commonwealth if it does not satisfy the requirements of this section for the device’s respective 131 of 225 2825 speed tier based on the device’s maximum manufacturer assisted or designed speed, whichever is 2826 higher. 2827 (h) Micromobility devices shall be subject to any speed limits and speed restrictions for 2828 motor vehicles established by: (i) municipalities or the division of highways of the 2829 Massachusetts Department of Transportation pursuant to sections 17 and 18; (ii) regulations of 2830 the department under chapter 90E; or (iii) rules or regulations of the department of conservation. 2831 Violation of such speed limits and speed restrictions shall be subject to all civil and criminal 2832 fines applicable to the operation of a motor vehicle in violation of such speed limits and 2833 restrictions. Micromobility devices shall be subject to all civil and criminal fines and penalties 2834 applicable to the operation of a motor vehicle under sections 24 to 24R, inclusive, 24V and 25; 2835 provided, that administrative penalties shall not apply, unless provided by regulations of the 2836 registrar. 2837 (i) The registrar, in consultation with the division of insurance, may promulgate 2838 regulations establishing registration, licensure, insurance, fines and other requirements for 2839 micromobility devices necessary to promote public and roadway safety. 2840

SECTION 109. Chapter 90E of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out 2841 section 1 and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 2842 Section 1. For the purposes of this chapter, the following words or terms shall, unless the 2843 context otherwise requires, have the following meanings: 2844 “Bicycle”, a 2-wheel nonmotor-powered vehicle. 132 of 225 2845 “Bicycle parking facility”, any facility for the temporary storage of bicycles or 2846 micromobility devices which allows the frame and the wheels of the bicycle or micromobility 2847 device to be locked so as to minimize the risk of theft and vandalism. 2848 “Bike lane”, a lane on a street restricted to bicycles and speed tier 0 or speed tier 1 2849 micromobility devices as defined in section 64 of chapter 90 and so designated by means of 2850 painted lines, pavement coloring or other appropriate markings; provided, however, that 2851 motorized bicycles shall not be permitted to use bike lanes. 2852 “Bike path”, a route for the exclusive use of bicycles and speed tier 0 or speed tier 1 2853 micromobility devices, separated by grade or other physical barrier from motor traffic; provided, 2854 however, that motorized bicycles shall not be permitted to use bike paths. 2855 “Bike route”, a roadway shared by bicycles, micromobility devices and other forms of 2856 transportation designated by the means of signs or pavement markings. 2857 “Bikeway”, bike paths, bike lanes and bike routes. 2858 “Commissioner”, the administrator for highways. 2859 “Department”, the division of highways. 2860 SECTION 109A. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after chapter 93L 2861 the following chapter:- 2862 Chapter 93M 2863 Restraint of Trade in Film Exhibition 133 of 225 2864 Section 1. As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly 2865 requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 2866 “Booker” or “film buyer”, any person or entity that negotiates or contracts with a 2867 distributor for the licensing of motion pictures on behalf of an exhibitor. 2868 “Circuit dealing”, the practice of licensing motion pictures to a theater chain or circuit for 2869 all or multiple geographic areas, rather than negotiating theater-by-theater on the individual 2870 merits of each location. 2871 “Clearance”, an agreement, explicit or implicit, between a distributor and an exhibitor 2872 that grants the exhibitor exclusive rights to show a motion picture within a specific geographic 2873 zone, thereby restricting the distributor from licensing the same motion picture to rival 2874 exhibitors. 2875 “Day-and-date”, the simultaneous exhibition of a motion picture by 2 or more exhibitors 2876 within the same geographic booking zone beginning on the same commercial release date. 2877 “Distributor”, any entity engaged in the business of licensing or distributing motion 2878 pictures to exhibitors, including studios, independent distributors and their parent corporations. 2879 “Exhibitor”, any person or entity engaged in the business of operating a movie theater for 2880 the public viewing of motion pictures. 2881 “Independent exhibitor”, an exhibitor operating 3 or fewer theater locations within the 2882 commonwealth. 134 of 225 2883 Section 2. It shall be an unfair method of competition and an unfair or deceptive act or 2884 practice under chapter 93A for any distributor or exhibitor engaged in circuit dealing to engage 2885 in practices that unreasonably restrain trade in film exhibition, including, but not limited to: 2886 (i) granting or enforcing a clearance zone that covers an area broader than necessary to 2887 protect a legitimate, non-predatory business interest, or enforcing a blanket clearance that 2888 prevents an independent exhibitor from playing a film day-and-date; provided, that the 2889 independent exhibitor shall offer reasonable licensing terms and have adequate facility standards; 2890 (ii) utilizing market power or circuit-wide bargaining power to coerce a distributor into 2891 denying licensing rights to a nearby independent exhibitor; and 2892 (iii) arbitrarily refusing to license a commercial motion picture to an independent 2893 exhibitor when that motion picture is being licensed to more than 1,000 screens nationwide; 2894 provided, that the independent exhibitor shall agree to standard industry economic terms and 2895 hold-over protocols. 2896 SECTION 109B. Section 26 of chapter 101 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2897 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 5 and 6, the words “one year” 2898 and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 5 years. 2899 SECTION 109C. Said section 26 of said chapter 101, as so appearing, is hereby further 2900 amended by inserting after the word “date”, in line 6, the following words:- ; provided, that the 2901 certificate required to be signed by the chief of police of the city or town in which the applicant 2902 resides, pursuant to section 22, shall continue to be furnished by the applicant to the deputy 2903 director on an annual basis. 135 of 225 2904 SECTION 109D. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 2905 section 2K the following section:- 2906 Section 2L. (a) There shall be a Medical Psychedelics Fund. The commissioner shall 2907 administer the fund to support the pilot program established in subsection (b). There shall be 2908 credited to the fund money received from public and private sources to support the pilot 2909 program. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation. Money 2910 remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be 2911 available for expenditure in subsequent fiscal years. Annually, not later than January 1, the 2912 commissioner shall report on the activities of the fund to the clerks of the house of 2913 representatives and the senate and to the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and 2914 means. The report shall include: (i) an accounting of money received by the fund broken down 2915 by funding source; (ii) a description of the use of funds for the purpose of the pilot program; (iii) 2916 an accounting of money expended from the fund broken down by recipient; and (iv) the amount 2917 of any unexpended balance. 2918 (b) The department shall establish a pilot program to allow for the monitored mental 2919 health care of clinically appropriate patients using naturally occurring psychedelic materials as 2920 defined by the department for on-site administration by a multi-disciplinary care team in a 2921 supervised licensed mental health clinic setting. The department shall issue pilot program 2922 permits to not more than 3 licensed mental health clinic facilities to participate in the pilot 2923 program for the purposes of establishing the best and safest clinical practices for psychedelic 2924 mental health treatment programs in the commonwealth and for the purposes of collecting 2925 patient outcomes data regarding the benefits of psychedelic pharmacotherapy. Authorization 2926 shall be given to clinics licensed to provide mental health services as defined by the department 136 of 225 2927 of public health. Eligible pilot program organizations shall exclusively focus operations and 2928 treatment on mental health and shall not be subsidiaries, affiliates or members of cannabis 2929 industry organizations, psychedelic molecule development companies or pharmaceutical 2930 companies. 2931 (c) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the operation of 2932 a supervised psychedelic pilot in a clinical setting, including, but not limited to, establishing a 2933 process to apply for participation in the pilot program. The regulations shall include, but shall not 2934 be limited to: (i) the definitions and standards for clinic participation; (ii) the process of initial 2935 patient assessment and ongoing monitoring; (iii) the composition of the clinical staff and the role 2936 of a licensed physician to oversee the program; (iv) the process of ensuring coordination and 2937 medical management of psychiatric medications with prescribers outside of the participating 2938 outpatient clinical pilot; and (v) the process of storing, dispensing and administrating 2939 psychedelics within the participating pilot. The department shall establish by regulation all 2940 standards and requirements governing the production and cultivation of naturally occurring 2941 psychedelic materials necessary for the pilot program, including, but not limited to, producer 2942 licensing and operations. 2943 (d) Section 2 of chapter 94C, including psilocybin and psilocin as Schedule I controlled 2944 substances, shall not apply to the medical use of psilocybin and psilocin as provided under the 2945 pilot program and regulations promulgated hereunder. A licensed mental health clinic facility, 2946 designated participant, licensed clinical staff member or patient acting in compliance with the 2947 pilot program and regulations promulgated hereunder shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution 2948 or civil or professional penalty under state law for activities expressly authorized under the pilot 2949 program. A licensed health care practitioner shall not be subject to professional discipline or loss 137 of 225 2950 of licensure solely for issuing a written certification under the pilot program, recommending 2951 participation in the program to a patient or providing medical services authorized under the 2952 program. 2953 (e) The department shall coordinate with research institutions, as it deems appropriate, to 2954 facilitate, expand and expedite federally-authorized research on psychedelic-assisted therapies, 2955 including, but not limited to, psilocybin, ibogaine, 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine, and 3,4- 2956 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, in the commonwealth, including efforts to pursue federal 2957 approvals and available state and federal funding in compliance with applicable federal 2958 regulations. 2959 (f) All pilot program participant organizations shall track patient care outcomes data 2960 related to the identification, diagnosis and psychedelic treatment of depression, anxiety, post- 2961 traumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder. These data sets shall be shared with the 2962 department of public health to assist in the refinement of best clinical protocols and final 2963 regulatory frameworks for the safe use of psychedelic material in the commonwealth. 2964 SECTION 109E. Section 2L of chapter 111 is hereby repealed. 2965

SECTION 110. Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 2966 following section:- 2967 Section 250. The commissioner of public health shall promulgate regulations for the 2968 annual health inspection of food trucks. The commissioner shall prescribe rules and regulations 2969 relative to inspection schedules, documentation of inspections, standards for acceptable 2970 cleanliness and the costs of such inspections. 138 of 225 2971

SECTION 111. Section 75 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 2972 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- 2973 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the board, upon the 2974 recommendation of the executive director of the board or their designee, shall waive any 2975 requirement to complete an exam exclusively verifying proficiency in English if the applicant: (i) 2976 previously passed an English proficiency examination at any time; (ii) has obtained 1 or more 2977 nursing degrees in the United States, if the applicant was originally trained outside of the United 2978 States; or (iii) demonstrates English proficiency through another method deemed acceptable by 2979 the board. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to impede the board’s authority to: (A) 2980 establish or conduct examinations that test the applicant’s fitness to practice; or (B) promulgate 2981 rules, regulations or guidelines pursuant to section 79. The board shall not waive requirements 2982 for an exam verifying proficiency in English for applicants seeking licensure through the nurse 2983 licensure compact pursuant to chapter 112A. 2984

SECTION 112. Section 87A1/2 of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended 2985 by striking out subsection (e) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 2986 (e)(1) The educational and experience requirements for a certificate shall be at least 1 of 2987 the following: 2988 (i) a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a college or university approved by the 2989 board and 2 years of full-time experience or the equivalent approved by the board; 2990 (ii) a bachelor’s degree with 30 semester hours of additional education from a college or 2991 university approved by the board and 1 year of full-time experience or the equivalent approved 2992 by the board; or 139 of 225 2993 (iii) a master’s degree or its equivalent from a college or university approved by the 2994 board and 1 year of full-time experience or the equivalent approved by the board. 2995 (2) The board shall promulgate regulations establishing educational requirements to take 2996 the required examination as a condition for the granting of a certificate. 2997

SECTION 113. Paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of section 87B of said chapter 112, as so 2998 appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “commonwealth;”, in line 33, the 2999 following word:- and. 3000 SECTION 114. Paragraph (2) of said subsection (d) of said section 87B of said chapter 3001 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out clauses (A) to (C), inclusive, and 3002 inserting in place thereof the following 3 clauses:- 3003 (A) is certified or licensed in another state and is in good standing in the other state; 3004 (B) has passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and has completed 3005 the educational requirements listed in subsection (e) of section 87A1/2; or 3006 (C) had 4 years of experience in the practice of public accountancy or equivalent, 3007 meeting requirements prescribed by the board by rule, after passing the examination upon which 3008 their certificate was based within the 10 years immediately preceding their application. 3009 SECTION 115. Said subsection (d) of said section 87B of said chapter 112, as so 3010 appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out paragraph (3). 3011

SECTION 116. Subsection (h) of said section 87B of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is 3012 hereby amended by striking out paragraph (2) and inserting in place thereof the following 3013 paragraph:- 140 of 225 3014 (1) A person whose principal place of business is outside the commonwealth shall be 3015 deemed to have qualifications substantially equivalent to the commonwealth’s requirements for 3016 the practice of public accountancy and may engage in the practice of certified public 3017 accountancy in the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, offering and rendering 3018 professional services, whether in person or by mail, telephone or electronic means, if such person 3019 holds a valid license as a certified public accountant issued by another state; provided, however, 3020 that the person shall have met the educational and experience requirements listed in subsection 3021 (e) of section 87A1/2 and shall have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant 3022 Examination or exceeded the licensure requirements of this chapter; provided further, that any 3023 person who has passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and holds a valid 3024 certified public accountant certificate issued by another state on or before December 31, 2026, 3025 shall be exempt from the educational requirements in subsection (e) of section 87A1/2. Any 3026 person who qualifies for the practice privilege pursuant to this subsection may exercise such 3027 privilege in the commonwealth without limitation on the period of time within which such 3028 person may so practice in the commonwealth if such person remains qualified pursuant to this 3029 subsection; provided, however, that such person shall not be required to obtain a certificate or 3030 license pursuant to this section, except as provided in this subsection, submit any other notice to 3031 the board or obtain a temporary practice permit from or pay any fee to the board. 3032

SECTION 117. Said subsection (h) of said section 87B of said chapter 112, as so 3033 appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 110, the figure “(3)” and inserting in 3034 place thereof the following figure:- (2). 141 of 225 3035 SECTION 118. Said subsection (h) of said section 87B of said chapter 112, as so 3036 appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 126, the figure “(4)” and inserting in 3037 place thereof the following figure:- (3). 3038 SECTION 119. Said subsection (h) of said section 87B of said chapter 112, as so 3039 appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 133, the figure “(5)” and inserting in 3040 place thereof the following figure:- (4). 3041

SECTION 120. Said subsection (h) of said section 87B of said chapter 112, as so 3042 appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 139, the figure “(6)” and inserting in 3043 place thereof the following figure:- (5). 3044 SECTION 120A. The second paragraph of section 87SS of said chapter 112, as so 3045 appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the 3046 following sentence:- Every individual applicant for a license as a salesperson who is required to 3047 take an examination therefor shall, as a prerequisite to taking such examination, submit proof 3048 satisfactory to the board that the applicant has completed courses in real estate subjects approved 3049 by the board; provided, that such courses shall total 40 classroom hours of instruction and shall 3050 include at least 4 hours on fair housing law or diversity and inclusion in real estate; and provided 3051 further, however, that applicants having successfully completed a course in real property while 3052 enrolled in an accredited law school in the commonwealth may also take such examination. 3053 SECTION 120B. Section 87XX 1/2 of said chapter 112, as amended by section 192 of 3054 chapter 102 of the acts of 2026, is hereby further amended by striking out the first paragraph and 3055 inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:- 142 of 225 3056 Any person holding a license as a real estate broker or salesperson shall, within their 3057 renewal period, satisfactorily complete courses or programs of instruction approved by the 3058 board; provided, that attendance at such courses or programs of instruction shall be not less than 3059 6 hours but not more than 12 hours as determined by the board. The curriculum contained in 3060 such courses or programs shall contain at least 6 hours of instruction concerning or related to 3061 compliance with laws and regulations, including, but not limited to: (i) at least 2 hours on fair 3062 housing or diversity and inclusion in real estate; and (ii) 4 hours selected from any of the 3063 following subjects: (A) equal employment opportunity; (B) accessibility for persons with 3064 disabilities; (C) agency law; (D) environmental issues in real estate; (E) zoning and building 3065 codes; (F) real estate appraisal and financing; (G) property tax assessments and valuation; and 3066 (H) real estate board regulations. The board shall certify in advance the curriculum forming the 3067 basis of such courses or programs that satisfy the provisions of this section. 3068 SECTION 120C. Section 87AAA of said chapter 112, as appearing in the 2024 Official 3069 Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the third sentence and inserting in place thereof the 3070 following 4 sentences:- The board shall, after notice by the Massachusetts commission against 3071 discrimination, or any other agency that administers fair housing laws and is certified by the 3072 federal Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity pursuant to the federal Fair 3073 Housing Act, U.S.C. 3601 through U.S.C. 3619, inclusive, that the Massachusetts commission 3074 against discrimination or agency has made a finding, which the finding has become final, that a 3075 licensed broker or salesperson committed an unlawful practice in violation of chapter 151B 3076 arising out of or in the course of their occupation as a licensed broker or salesperson, suspend 3077 forthwith the license of said broker or salesperson for a period of 60 days; provided, however, 3078 that if the Massachusetts commission against discrimination or agency finds that said violation 143 of 225 3079 by such licensed broker or salesperson occurred within 2 years of the date of a prior violation of 3080 said chapter 151B, which finding has been final, it shall so notify the board, and the board shall 3081 forthwith suspend the license of such broker or salesperson for a period of 180 days. The board, 3082 after notice by the office of the attorney general that a court in a matter brought by the office of 3083 the attorney general has made a finding, which finding has become final, that a licensed broker 3084 or salesperson committed an unlawful practice in violation of said chapter 151B arising out of or 3085 in the course of their occupation as a licensed broker or salesperson, shall suspend forthwith the 3086 license of said broker or salesperson for a period of 60 days; provided, however, that if the board 3087 determines that the violation by such licensed broker or salesperson occurred within 2 years of 3088 the date of a prior finding by a court or agency of a violation of said chapter 151B, which prior 3089 finding has become final, it shall forthwith suspend the license of such broker or salesperson for 3090 a period of 180 days. The board shall suspend the license of a broker or salesperson for any 3091 violation of said chapter 151B referred to the board under this section. Commissions and 3092 agencies empowered to make referrals to the board pursuant to this section, including the office 3093 of the attorney general, shall make all referrals that qualify under this section and shall not have 3094 discretion as to whether to make the referral. 3095 SECTION 120D. Said section 87AAA of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby 3096 further amended by striking out, in lines 60 and 67, the word “salesmen” and inserting in place 3097 thereof, in each instance, the following word:- salespersons. 3098 SECTION 120E. Section 87AAA3/4 of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby 3099 amended by striking out, in line 2, the word “salesmen” and inserting in place thereof the 3100 following word:- salespersons. 144 of 225 3101 SECTION 120F. Said section 87AAA3/4 of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby 3102 further amended by striking out, in lines 22, 26, 41, 43, 46, 63 and 67, each time it appears, the 3103 word “salesman” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, the following word:- 3104 salesperson. 3105 SECTION 120G. Section 87CCC of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended 3106 by striking out, in lines 2 and 3, the word “salesman” and inserting in place thereof, in each 3107 instance, the following word:- salesperson. 3108 SECTION 120H. Section 87DDD1/2 of said chapter 112 is hereby amended by striking 3109 out, in line 3, as so appearing, the word “salesman” and inserting in place thereof the following 3110 word:- salesperson. 3111 SECTION 120I. Section 131 of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3112 striking out, in lines 6 and 7, the words “; has passed an examination prepared by the board for 3113 this purpose”. 3114 SECTION 120J. Said section 131 of said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by 3115 striking out the first paragraph, as amended by section 120I, and inserting in place thereof the 3116 following paragraph:- 3117 Any individual desiring to obtain a license as a certified social worker shall make 3118 application therefor to the board upon such form and in such manner as the board shall prescribe 3119 and shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the board that he has received a doctorate or master's 3120 degree in social work from an accredited educational institution; has passed an examination 3121 prepared by the board for this purpose; and will conduct his professional activities as a certified 3122 social worker in accordance with generally accepted professional standards. 145 of 225 3123 SECTION 120K. Section 132 of said chapter 112, as appearing the 2024 Official Edition, 3124 is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1 and 2, the words “Examinations for licensed 3125 certified social workers, including those in independent clinical practice” and inserting in place 3126 thereof the following words:- Examinations for licensed independent clinical social workers. 3127 SECTION 120L. Said section 132 of said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by 3128 striking out the words “Examinations for licensed independent clinical social workers”, inserted 3129 by section 120K, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- Examinations for licensed 3130 certified social workers, including those in independent clinical practice. 3131 SECTION 120M. Said chapter 112 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 3132 135C the following section:- 3133 Section 135D. (a) To ensure a stable, diverse workforce of licensed social workers in the 3134 commonwealth and to provide for increased support and retention of practicing licensed social 3135 workers, the executive office of health and human services shall establish and administer a field 3136 placement grant program. The program shall, subject to appropriation, provide grant funding to 3137 designated recipients with a specific focus on recruiting and retaining students obtaining a 3138 master’s of social work from historically marginalized communities and low-income 3139 communities. Funds to establish this program shall be allocated from state, federal or other 3140 dedicated resources, including, but not limited to, existing trust funds. 3141 (b) Eligible applicants shall attend a school of social work master’s program located in 3142 the commonwealth and accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. 146 of 225 3143 (c) The executive office of education shall collaborate with eligible institutions of higher 3144 education to track applicant data, including application details submitted, and evaluate the 3145 program’s efficacy and equity. 3146 (d) The executive office of health and human services shall promulgate regulations 3147 outlining eligibly criteria and establishing stipend amounts. 3148 SECTION 120N. Section 136 of said chapter 112, as appearing in the 2024 Official 3149 Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following paragraph:- 3150 Licensed independent clinical social workers engaged in independent clinical practice 3151 who provide 1-on-1 supervision to a licensed certified social worker, licensed social worker, 3152 master’s of social work intern or bachelor’s of social work intern, shall be eligible to receive up 3153 to 8 continuing education credits during a licensing period. 3154

SECTION 121. Section 222 of said chapter 112, as so appearing, is hereby amended 3155 by adding the following subsection:- 3156 (e) Notwithstanding clauses (iii) and (iv) of subsection (d), an applicant shall be eligible 3157 for licensure as a home inspector without meeting the requirements of said clause (iii) or said 3158 clause (iv) of said subsection (d) if the applicant: (i) is a professional engineer licensed pursuant 3159 to sections 81D to 81T, inclusive; and (ii) has performed not less than 50 home inspections under 3160 the supervision of a licensed home inspector. 3161 SECTION 121A. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 3162 section 67A the following section:- 147 of 225 3163 Section 67B. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 3164 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3165 “Ambulance service”, as defined in section 1 of chapter 111C. 3166 “Executive office”, the executive office of health and human services. 3167 “Public ambulance service”, ambulance services that are provided by a city or town, 3168 county, district or other governmental body and are licensed pursuant to section 6 of chapter 3169 111C. 3170 (b) The executive office shall implement voluntary programs to increase funding to 3171 public ambulance services, including, but not limited to, intergovernmental transfer programs, as 3172 authorized under section 1903(w)(6) of the federal Social Security Act, 42 CFR 433.51. 3173 (c) Any additional funds received by public ambulance services pursuant to subsection 3174 (b) shall not be used to replace other payment commitments between public ambulance services 3175 and the commonwealth. 3176

SECTION 122. Section 3 of chapter 121C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 3177 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 55, the word “MOBD” and inserting 3178 in place thereof the following words:- the secretary. 3179 SECTION 123. Section 4 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3180 striking out, in line 9, the words “, MOBD and to the director,” and inserting in place thereof the 3181 following words:- the secretary. 148 of 225 3182 SECTION 124. Section 5 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3183 striking out, in line 21, the words “MOBD and” and inserting in place thereof the following 3184 word:- the. 3185 SECTION 125. Said section 5 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby further 3186 amended by striking out, in lines 67 and 68, the words “MOBD and the director” and inserting in 3187 place thereof the following words:- the secretary. 3188 SECTION 126. Said section 5 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby further 3189 amended by striking out, in lines 81 and 82, the words “MOBD and director” and inserting in 3190 place thereof the following words:- the secretary. 3191

SECTION 127. Section 6 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3192 striking out, in line 28, the words “MOBD and director” and inserting in place thereof the 3193 following words:- the secretary. 3194 SECTION 128. Said section 6 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby further 3195 amended by striking out, in lines 44 and 45, the words “department of housing and community 3196 development” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- secretary. 3197

SECTION 129. Section 10 of said chapter 121C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3198 striking out, in line 5, the words “MOBD and the director” and inserting in place thereof the 3199 following words:- the secretary. 3200 SECTION 129A. Section 2 of chapter 128 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 3201 hereby amended by inserting after the word “promotion,”, in line 93, the following word:- 3202 incentives. 149 of 225 3203 SECTION 129B. Chapter 128A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 3204 section 5C the following section:- 3205 Section 5D. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 3206 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3207 “Historical horse race”, any horse race, whether running horse or harness, that was: (i) 3208 previously conducted at a licensed pari-mutuel facility; (ii) concluded with official results; and 3209 (iii) concluded without scratches, disqualifications or dead-heat finishes. 3210 “Pari-mutuel method of wagering”, a method of wagering in which those who wager on 3211 horses that finish in the position or positions for which wagers are taken share in the total 3212 amounts wagered, plus any amounts provided by a licensee, which may include, a nonrefundable 3213 contribution to serve as a seed or guarantee and in which a totalizator or similar mechanical 3214 equipment calculates pari-mutuel pools and payouts associated with each winning wager; 3215 provided, that a wager placed on a historical horse racing terminal certified as a pari-mutuel 3216 terminal by an independent testing laboratory shall also be considered a pari-mutuel wager. 3217 “Racing licensee”, a person licensed by the commission under this chapter to conduct a 3218 live horse racing meeting or a running horse racing licensee or greyhound meeting licensee that 3219 conducted simulcast wagering during calendar year 2025, as authorized by law. 3220 (b) A racing licensee shall be eligible to accept pari-mutuel wagers on historical horse 3221 races; provided, that such wagers are accepted at a facility at which the racing licensee conducts 3222 its in-person wagering activities pursuant to this chapter or chapter 128C or through account 3223 wagering offered by the licensee or its approved account wagering service providers pursuant to 3224 section 5C. Wagering on historical horse races under this section shall be deemed to be pari- 150 of 225 3225 mutuel wagering on horse races under chapters 128A and 128C for purposes of the tenth clause 3226 of section 7 of chapter 4. 3227 (c) The commission shall authorize wagers on historical horse races, whether on an 3228 electronic gaming device or otherwise; provided, that the wagers shall meet the requirements of 3229 this section. 3230 (d) Wagering on historical horse races may take place on electronic gaming devices; 3231 provided, that: (i) all wagers use the pari-mutuel method of wagering; (ii) the licensee may 3232 operate a number of terminals it chooses; (iii) the terminal shall make available true and accurate 3233 past performance information on each historical horse race prior to the patron making the 3234 patron’s selection; (iv) the terminal shall display a replay of each race, or a portion thereof, 3235 whether digital, animated, or by way of a video recording, and the official results of each race, 3236 and the identity of each race shall be revealed to the patron after the patron has placed the 3237 patron’s wager; (v) the outcome of each wager is based solely on the outcome of the historical 3238 horse race or races; (vi) no random elements shall determine the outcome of the patron’s wager; 3239 (vii) the terminals shall have been tested by Gaming Laboratories International, LLC, another 3240 independent testing laboratory approved by the commission, or the commission’s technical 3241 compliance unit to ensure integrity and proper working order; and (viii) each licensee shall 3242 submit a responsible gaming plan to the commission for review and approval prior to activating 3243 any historical horse race terminal, and every year thereafter. Each plan shall include, but shall 3244 not be limited to: (A) identification of postings and materials related to problem gaming to be 3245 made available to patrons expressing concerns about problem gaming; (B) house-imposed player 3246 limits; and (C) self-exclusion plans. 151 of 225 3247 (e) Racing officials or any employee or owner of the entity that provides the totalizator 3248 system to the licensee, and any person responsible for the operation of the electronic 3249 reproduction equipment which operates the historical horse races and wagering, shall be 3250 prohibited from participating in wagering, directly or indirectly, on historical horse races offered 3251 at the licensee’s facility. 3252 (f) The wagering pool for a historical horse race shall be paid out as follows: 3253 (1) The licensee shall pay the following amounts from the pool, which amounts shall not 3254 be considered part of the licensee’s takeout: (i) 2.5 per cent of handle to the commonwealth as an 3255 excise, which shall be transferred to the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established in section 66 3256 of chapter 118E; provided, however, that: (A) within 30 days of the commencement of 3257 operations accepting wagers on historical horse racing, the licensee shall make a nonrefundable 3258 payment of $25 million to the commonwealth that shall be a prepayment of the first $25 million 3259 of excise payable under this paragraph during the fiscal year of the commonwealth in which such 3260 operations commence; (B) not later than July 15 of the fiscal year of the commonwealth 3261 following the fiscal year in which such operations commence, the licensee shall make a 3262 nonrefundable payment of $50 million to the commonwealth that shall be a prepayment of the 3263 first $50 million of excise payable under this paragraph during such following fiscal year; and 3264 (C) with respect to the payments under clauses (A) and (B), the licensee shall pay any additional 3265 excise due under this paragraph once the credit established by the prepayment is exhausted and 3266 the licensee shall not be entitled any refund or carryover credit in the event the credit is not 3267 exhausted during the fiscal year for which it is paid; (ii) 0.25 per cent of handle to the host 3268 community of its facility for mitigation; and (iii) 0.25 per cent of handle divided as follows: (a) 3269 0.1875 per cent of handle shall be dedicated to purses for, in the case of a live racing licensee, 152 of 225 3270 live horse races that it conducts and, in the case of a running horse racing licensee that conducted 3271 simulcast wagering during calendar year 2025, for live running horse races conducted in the 3272 commonwealth or to its recognized running horsemen’s association as purses and, in the case of 3273 a greyhound racing licensee that conducted simulcast wagering during calendar year 2025, for 3274 live running horse or harness races conducted in the commonwealth as allocated by the 3275 commission; and (b) 0.0625 per cent of handle shall be dedicated to the breeders of, in the case 3276 of a live racing licensee, the type of horses that run in the live races it conducts and, in the case 3277 of a running horse racing licensee that conducted simulcast wagering during calendar year 2025, 3278 for breeders of running race horses and, in the case of a greyhound racing licensee that 3279 conducted simulcast wagering as during calendar year 2025, for breeders of running race horses 3280 or harness races horses as allocated by the commission; 3281 (2) the licensee shall be entitled to a takeout from the remainder of the pool determined as 3282 a percentage of handle provided that the total amount of the takeout and the amounts paid 3283 pursuant to paragraph (1)shall not exceed the maximum takeout for wagers on live horse races 3284 established pursuant to section 5; and 3285 (3) the licensee shall return to the winning patrons the balance of the pool. 3286 (g) In addition to the takeout, the licensee shall be entitled to retain the breaks. In the 3287 event the commission imposes an assessment on the licensee in connection with the costs of 3288 regulating wagering on historical horse races, the licensee may retain an additional amount of 3289 handle sufficient to pay the assessment. 3290 (h) Licensees offering wagering on historical horse races shall be authorized to offer 3291 promotional wagering credits to patrons for placing wagers on historical horse races at the 153 of 225 3292 licensees facility or through account wagering offered by the licensee or its approved account 3293 wagering service providers pursuant to section 5C. Wagers placed using promotional wagering 3294 credits shall not be considered part of the licensee’s handle for historical horse wagering pari- 3295 mutuel pool for purposes of subsection (f) of section 3. 3296 SECTION 129C. Section 9 of said chapter 128A, as appearing in the 2024 Official 3297 Edition, is hereby by inserting after the words “section 5C,”, in line 16, the following words:- or 3298 wagering on historical horse races, as provided in section 5D. 3299 SECTION 129D. Said section 9 of said chapter 128A, as so appearing, is hereby further 3300 amended by inserting after the fourth paragraph the following paragraph:- 3301 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, in regulating wagering on 3302 historical horse races as authorized by section 5D and the facilities in which the wagering is to be 3303 conducted, the commission shall take into account the cost to licensees of regulation relative to 3304 the net revenue to be generated by the wagering, the amount of cash to be handled at the facility 3305 and the risks imposed by the wagering. The economic and operational burdens of the 3306 commission’s regulations shall be consistent with, and not greater than, those that it has 3307 historically applied in the commonwealth pursuant to 205 CMR 6.00 and 205 CMR 7.00 with 3308 respect to pari-mutuel wagering, including account wagering under section 5C. In determining 3309 the appropriate level of regulation of wagering on historical horse racing, the commission shall 3310 review the manner and extent to which other states regulate wagering on historical horse racing 3311 at facilities that are separate from casinos, including, but not limited to, with respect to 3312 surveillance. 154 of 225 3313 SECTION 129E. The second paragraph of section 11C of said chapter 128A, as so 3314 appearing, is hereby amended by inserting, after the first sentence, the following sentence:- It 3315 shall not be considered an undesirable concentration of ownership of racing facilities if 1 or more 3316 persons owns, directly or indirectly, some or all of 2 or more racing licensees none of which 3317 conducts lives races. 3318 SECTION 129F. Chapter 138 of the General Laws is hereby amended by 3319 inserting after section 19G the following section:- 3320 Section 19G½. (a) For the purposes of this section, the word “endorsement” shall, unless 3321 the context clearly requires otherwise, mean a shared manufacturing and packaging endorsement. 3322 (b) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, any person, partnership 3323 or entity holding 2 or more manufacturing licenses issued pursuant to this chapter, including, but 3324 not limited to, licenses issued under sections 19, 19B, 19C and 19E, may apply to the 3325 commission for an endorsement, authorizing the use of common manufacturing, processing, 3326 packaging, bottling, canning, labeling, storage and related equipment for products produced 3327 under such licenses. 3328 (c) The annual fee for an endorsement issued pursuant to subsection (b) shall be $1,000. 3329 (d)(1) A holder of an endorsement may utilize shared equipment for the production, 3330 processing, packaging, bottling, canning, labeling and storage of products authorized under such 3331 licenses; provided, that the licensee shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws and 3332 regulations. The commission shall not require separate manufacturing or packaging equipment 3333 solely because products are produced pursuant to different manufacturing licenses held by the 3334 same person, partnership or entity and operating under an endorsement. 155 of 225 3335 (2) The holder of an endorsement shall maintain records sufficient to demonstrate 3336 compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, tax obligations, production 3337 requirements and product traceability standards. Such records shall include production schedules 3338 and documentation identifying which licensed activity is being conducted during use of shared 3339 equipment pursuant to the endorsement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the 3340 commingling of products where otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, nor to alter any 3341 federal permitting requirements administered by the Federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade 3342 Bureau. 3343 (e) The commission may promulgate rules and regulations governing sanitation 3344 procedures, recordkeeping requirements, operational controls, production scheduling and other 3345 standards as necessary to administer this section. Penalties for noncompliance with this section 3346 shall be governed by section 64 and shall be applicable to all manufacturing licenses held by the 3347 person, partnership or entity that is not compliant. 3348 SECTION 129G. Said chapter 138 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 3349 25E¾ the following section:- 3350 Section 25E 7/8. A “successor supplier” shall mean any person or entity who directly or 3351 indirectly acquires the right or obligation to sell an item with a brand name to a wholesaler 3352 licensed in the commonwealth. A successor supplier shall acquire such rights or obligations 3353 subject to section 25E. All sales of a brand name item made to a licensed wholesaler prior to 3354 succession shall be attributed to the successor supplier for the purposes of determining whether 6 3355 months of regular sales exist pursuant to section 25E. 156 of 225 3356 SECTION 129H. Section 33 of said chapter 138, as appearing in the 2024 Official 3357 Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 13, the figure “10:00” and inserting in place 3358 thereof the following figure:- 8:00. 3359

SECTION 130. Section 100 of chapter 143 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 3360 hereby amended by striking out, in lines 9 and 10, the words “specialized stretch energy code” 3361 and inserting in place thereof the following words:- current and future specialized stretch energy 3362 codes. 3363 SECTION 130A. Section 81 of chapter 146 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 3364 hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Bureau” the following definition:- 3365 “Direct supervision”, the physical on-site presence with the assigned apprentice and their 3366 supervising journeyman or fire protection sprinkler contractor, for the purpose of work on a fire 3367 protection sprinkler system. 3368 SECTION 130B. Section 85A of said chapter 146, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3369 striking out, in lines 2, 6, 7 and 8, the word “his” and inserting in place thereof, in each instance, 3370 the following word:- their. 3371 SECTION 130C. Said section 85A of said chapter 146, as so appearing, is hereby further 3372 amended by striking out, in lines 4 and 7, the word “he” and inserting in place thereof, in each 3373 instance, the following word:- they. 3374 SECTION 130D. Said section 85A of said chapter 146, as so appearing, is hereby further 3375 amended by striking out, in line 10, the word “him” and inserting in place thereof the following 3376 word:- them. 157 of 225 3377 SECTION 130E. Said section 85A of said chapter 146, as so appearing, is hereby further 3378 amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- 3379 The ratio permitted shall be 1 licensed journeyman sprinkler fitter or fire protection sprinkler 3380 contractor for every apprentice sprinkler fitter on the jobsite. 3381 SECTION 130F. Section 89 of said chapter 146, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3382 inserting after the word “eighty-one”, in line 4, the following words:- , including sections 84 to 3383 86, inclusive. 3384 SECTION 130G. Section 27B of chapter 149 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 3385 hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:- 3386 For any offsite fabrication work subject to this section, the contractor, subcontractor or 3387 public body shall include a section in their weekly certified prevailing wage records that 3388 provides: (i) the name and address of the manufacturer, shop or other type of prefabrication 3389 facility where the fabrication work was performed; and (ii) the name, address and occupational 3390 classifications of each mechanic, apprentice, laborer or other employee employed in the 3391 performance of such work, the hours worked by, and wages paid to, each such employee. 3392 SECTION 130H. Section 27D of said chapter 149, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3393 adding the following 2 paragraphs:- 3394 For the purposes of this section, the words “construction” and “constructed” shall include 3395 offsite fabrication work for any project covered by this section. For such offsite fabrication work, 3396 the wage required pursuant to this chapter shall be paid for such work and the requirements of 3397 section 27B shall apply to such work, including, but not limited to, weekly submission of 158 of 225 3398 certified payroll records and an accompanying statement made under penalties of perjury. 3399 Penalties provided under section 27C shall apply to such work. 3400 For the purposes of the preceding paragraph, the term “offsite fabrication” shall mean 3401 products or items that are: (i) produced specifically for a qualified project; (ii) considered to be 3402 non-standard, custom fabricated items, not generic products readily available for any project; and 3403 (iii) produced at an offsite location that are part of plumbing, electrical, mechanical and sheet 3404 metal systems, including, but not limited to, piping, fixtures, equipment, wirings, ductwork and 3405 other component or parts of such systems but shall not include any other work other than work 3406 that is part of plumbing, electrical, mechanical and sheet metal systems. Nothing in the definition 3407 of “offsite fabrication” shall restrict application of section 26 or prevent the commonwealth, or a 3408 county, town, authority or district thereof, contracting for the construction of public works from 3409 giving preference to offsite fabrication performed at an offsite location within a specific 3410 geographical area. 3411 SECTION 130I. The definition of “Occupation” in section 2 of chapter 151 of the 3412 General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting 3413 in place thereof the following sentence:- Occupation shall also not include: (i) outside sales work 3414 regularly performed by outside salesmen who regularly sell a product or products away from 3415 their employer’s place of business and who do not make daily reports or visits to the office or 3416 plant of their employer; or (ii) work performed by individuals who have entered into contracts to 3417 play baseball at the minor league level and who are compensated pursuant to the terms of a 3418 collective bargaining agreement that expressly provides for wages and working conditions. 159 of 225 3419 SECTION 130J. Section 15 of said chapter 151, as so appearing, is hereby amended by 3420 adding the following sentence:- The requirement in this section to keep a true and accurate 3421 record of the hours worked each day and each week by each employee shall not apply to any 3422 individual who has entered into a contract to play baseball at the minor league level and who is 3423 compensated pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement that expressly provides 3424 for wages and working conditions. 3425

SECTION 131. Section 12 of chapter 156C of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 3426 hereby amended by striking out subsection (d) and inserting in place thereof the following 3 3427 subsections:- 3428 (d) The fee for the filing of the certificate of organization required by subsection (a) shall 3429 be $100. The fee for the filing of the annual report required by subsection (c) shall be $200 for 3430 the first annual report, $300 for the second annual report, $400 for the third annual report and 3431 $500 for the fourth annual report and for each annual report filed thereafter. Such fees shall be 3432 paid to the state secretary at the time the certificate of organization or the annual report is filed. 3433 (e) Notwithstanding the fees set forth in subsection (d), if a limited liability company: (i) 3434 is established for the purpose of holding title to real property; (ii) owns assets in excess of 3435 $1,000,000; or (iii) is expected to own assets in excess of $1,000,000 within the subsequent 12 3436 month period, then the fee for the filing of the certificate of organization required by subsection 3437 (a) shall be $500 and the fee for the filing of each annual report required by subsection (c) shall 3438 be $500 beginning with the annual report that includes an affirmative attestation of any of the 3439 conditions set forth in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, of the preceding sentence. Such fees shall be 3440 paid to the state secretary at the time the certificate of organization or the annual report is filed. 160 of 225 3441 (f) The person filing the certificate of organization or annual report shall in every instance 3442 attest as to whether the limited liability company: (i) is established for the sole purpose of 3443 holding title to real property; (ii) owns assets in excess of $1,000,000; or (iii) is expected to own 3444 assets in excess of $1,000,000 within the subsequent 12 month period. A person making such 3445 filing who makes an inaccurate attestation shall be subject to a civil fine of $10,000 for each 3446 occurrence. Such certification shall be the basis for determining eligibility under subsection (e). 3447 (g) Notwithstanding the fees set forth in subsection (d), if a limited liability company is a 3448 micro business, as defined in subsection (a) of section 69 of chapter 23A, then the fee for the 3449 filing of the certificate of organization required by subsection (a) shall be $100 and the fees for 3450 the filing of the annual report required by subsection (c) shall be $200 for the first annual report 3451 and $300 for the second annual report and for each annual report filed thereafter. Such fees shall 3452 be paid to the state secretary at the time the certificate of organization or the annual report is 3453 filed. 3454 SECTION 131A. Section 6B of chapter 159B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is 3455 hereby amended by striking out, in line 14, the figure “$35” and inserting in place thereof the 3456 following figure:- $49. 3457 SECTION 131B. Chapter 164 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out 3458 section 34B and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 3459 Section 34B. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 3460 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3461 “Attacher”, any person, distribution company, telecommunications company, utility, 3462 municipality or any other entity that attaches any line, wire or equipment to any pole. 161 of 225 3463 “Attachment”, a wire, cable or other utility equipment. 3464 “Double pole”, the condition in which 2 poles stand in immediate proximity during pole 3465 replacement, consisting of: (i) a newly installed replacement pole; and (ii) an existing pole that 3466 remains to support attached wires, cables or equipment pending their transfer to the replacement 3467 pole by the stakeholders. 3468 “Owner”, any distribution company, utility or other entity that is legally responsible for 3469 the installation, maintenance or removal of a pole. 3470 “Pole”, a utility pole to which not less than 1 attachment is affixed. 3471 “Stakeholder”, an attacher or owner. 3472 “Utility pole database”, the National Joint Utilities Notification System, its successor or 3473 another equivalent notification system and database agreed to by the double pole working group 3474 established in this section. 3475 (b)(1) There shall be a permanent working group on double poles that shall consist of the 3476 following members: the commissioner of telecommunications and cable, or their designee, who 3477 shall serve as co-chair; the chair of the department of public utilities, or the chair’s designee, who 3478 shall serve as co-chair, the secretary of administration and finance, or their designee; ; a 3479 representative of a municipal light board of commissioners or their designee; the chairs of the 3480 joint committee on municipalities and regional government; the chairs of the joint committee on 3481 telecommunications, utilities and energy or their designees; 1 member to be appointed by the 3482 minority leader of the house of representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the minority leader 3483 of the senate; 3 members to be appointed by the governor, all of whom shall be municipal 162 of 225 3484 officials; 1 representative of each utility pole owner; 1 utility owner that is a telecommunications 3485 provider; 1 utility pole attacher that is a cable company; the executive director of the New 3486 England Connectivity & Telecommunications Association, Inc. or their designee; and the 3487 executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, Inc. or their designee. 3488 (2) The working group shall meet not less than 4 times per year and shall promote 3489 collaboration between stakeholders involved in attachment transfers and serve as an 3490 informational resource. 3491 (3) Investigating and studying the feasibility of: (A) increasing participation, utilization, 3492 improving functionality of the utility pole database and identifying solutions to resolve 3493 communication issues among all parties; (B) exploring enhancements to the utility pole database 3494 which result in greater efficiency and less delay 3495 (4) Annually, not later than March 30, the working group shall file a report on double 3496 pole and attachment transfer activity in the commonwealth during the previous calendar year to 3497 the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate; the house and senate committees on 3498 ways and means; the chairs of the joint committee on municipalities and regional government 3499 and the chairs of the joint committee on telecommunications, utilities and energy. The report 3500 shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) the number and status of double poles and 3501 attachments in each municipality; (ii) the length of time the double poles have existed; (iii) the 3502 length of time attachments have been pending next to transfer; (iv) the stakeholders responsible 3503 for delays in double pole resolution; (v) any programs established by the department of public 3504 utilities or the department of telecommunications and cable to resolve double poles concerns; 163 of 225 3505 and (vi) the success of any programs pursuant to clause (v). The department of public utilities 3506 and the department of telecommunications and cable shall publish the report on their websites. 3507

SECTION 132. Section 134 of chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 3508 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 103 and 104, the words “Renewable 3509 Energy Trust Fund, established pursuant to section 9” and inserting in place thereof the 3510 following words:- Climatetech Investment Fund established pursuant to section 15. 3511

SECTION 133. Said chapter 164 is hereby further amended by adding the following 3512 section:- 3513 Section 152. (a) As used in this section, the followings words shall, unless the context 3514 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3515 “Economic development rates”, standardized utility tariffs and discounted rates offered 3516 by a distribution company designed to attract new businesses to the commonwealth and promote 3517 expansion by businesses already located within the commonwealth. 3518 “Special contracts”, discounted utility rates negotiated between distribution companies 3519 and large new businesses locating to the commonwealth or large new businesses expanding 3520 within the commonwealth. 3521 (b)(1) Each distribution company shall offer an economic development rate and special 3522 contracts; provided, however, that economic development rates and special contracts shall not 3523 shift costs to or increase costs for any other utility customer in the commonwealth. 3524 (2) Each distribution company shall develop guidelines for large new businesses locating 3525 to the commonwealth or large new businesses expanding in the commonwealth to seek a special 164 of 225 3526 contract. The rates, contracts and guidelines shall be as consistent as practicable between the 3527 distribution companies. 3528 (c) Economic development rates may include associated requirements, including, but not 3529 limited to: (i) job creation or retention requirements; (ii) capital investment commitments; (iii) 3530 participation in energy efficiency or demand response programs; and (iv) periodic progress 3531 reporting on requirements. 3532 (d) Each distribution company may, as necessary, request modifications to any approved 3533 economic development rate and guidelines to seek a special contract with the department to 3534 accommodate changed circumstances. 3535 (e) Not later than 1 month prior to filing a new or amended economic development rate or 3536 guidelines to seek a special contract with the department, each distribution company shall present 3537 the proposed rate and guidelines to the executive office of economic development and the 3538 executive office of energy and environmental affairs. 3539 SECTION 133 1/4. Section 149M of chapter 175 of the General Laws, as appearing in 3540 the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Consumer” the 3541 following 3 definitions:- 3542 “Consumer product”, any tangible personal property that is distributed in commerce and 3543 is normally used for personal, family or household purposes, including tangible personal 3544 property intended to be attached to or installed in any real property without regard to whether it 3545 is so attached or installed. 3546 “Maintenance agreement”, a contract for regular maintenance. 165 of 225 3547 “Motor vehicle manufacturer”, a person who: (i) manufactures, distributes or produces 3548 motor vehicles under the person’s own name or label; (ii) is a subsidiary of the person who 3549 manufactures, distributes or produces motor vehicles; (iii) is a corporation which owns 100 per 3550 cent of the corporation, association, partnership or other legal entity who manufactures, 3551 distributes or produces motor vehicles; or (iv) does not manufacture, distribute or produce motor 3552 vehicles but, pursuant to a written contract, licenses the use of its trade name or label to another 3553 person who manufactures, distributes or produces motor vehicles. 3554 SECTION 133 1/2. Said section 149M of said chapter 175, as so appearing, is hereby 3555 further amended by striking out the definition of “Service contract” and inserting in place thereof 3556 the following definition:- 3557 “Service contract”, a contract for a separately stated consideration and for a specific 3558 duration to perform the service, repair, replacement or maintenance of a consumer product, 3559 including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle, or indemnification for service, repair, replacement 3560 or maintenance for the operational or structural failure due to a defect in materials or 3561 workmanship or normal wear and tear, with or without additional provision for incidental 3562 payment or indemnity under limited circumstances, for related expenses, including, but not 3563 limited to, rental and food spoilage; provided, however, that a “service contract” for a motor 3564 vehicle shall include a contract or agreement sold for a separately stated consideration for a 3565 specific duration that provides for any of the following: (i) the repair or replacement of tires or 3566 wheels on a motor vehicle damaged as a result of coming into contact with road hazards, 3567 including, but not limited to, potholes, rocks, wood debris, metal parts, glass, plastic, curbs or 3568 composite scraps; (ii) the removal of dents, dings or creases on a motor vehicle that can be 3569 repaired using the process of paintless dent removal without affecting the existing paint finish 166 of 225 3570 and without replacing vehicle body panels, sanding, bonding or painting; (iii) the repair of small 3571 motor vehicle windshield chips or cracks which may include the replacement of the windshield 3572 for chips or cracks that cannot be repaired; or (iv) the replacement of a motor vehicle or key-fob 3573 in the event that the key or key-fob becomes inoperable or is lost or stolen. 3574 SECTION 133 5/8. Section 149N of said chapter 175, as so appearing, is hereby 3575 amended by striking out, in line 108, the words “tangible personal property” and inserting in 3576 place thereof the following words:- consumer products. 3577 SECTION 133 3/4. Said chapter 175 is hereby further amended by striking out section 3578 149V, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 3579 Section 149V. (a) The following shall be exempt from sections 149M to 149W, inclusive: 3580 (i) warranties, service contracts or maintenance agreements provided by public utilities that are 3581 regulated by the department of telecommunications and cable or the Federal Communications 3582 Commission, or by an affiliate of such entity, covering customer wiring, transmission devices 3583 serviced by such public utility or warranting services provided by such public utility or its 3584 affiliate; (ii) mechanical breakdown insurance policies offered by insurers otherwise licensed and 3585 regulated pursuant to the laws and regulations of the commonwealth; (iii) warranties, service 3586 contracts or other agreements regarding automobiles under which a licensed motor vehicle dealer 3587 or an affiliate of a licensed motor vehicle dealer is obligated to perform; (iv) warranties offered 3588 by builders as part of a conveyance of real estate; (v) warranties on a product made by the 3589 manufacturer, importer or seller of the product; and (vi) maintenance agreements. 3590 (b) Motor vehicle manufacturers and service contracts on the motor vehicle 3591 manufacturer’s products need only comply with subsection (f) of section 149N and sections 167 of 225 3592 149P, 149Q, 149R and 149U, as applicable, and motor vehicle manufacturers offering service 3593 contracts on the motor vehicle manufacturer’s products shall be exempt from licensure under 3594 subsection (c) of section 149N and the requirements of subsection (d) of section 149N. 3595 SECTION 133A. Chapter 184 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 3596 following section:- 3597 Section 36. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the 3598 context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3599 “Affiliate”, an entity owned or controlled by an owner or under common control with an 3600 owner. 3601 “Auction” or “public auction”, the sale of a housing accommodation under power of sale 3602 in a mortgage loan by public bidding. 3603 “Borrower”, a mortgagor of a mortgage loan. 3604 “Deed in lieu,” a deed for the collateral property or the housing accommodation that the 3605 mortgagee accepts from the borrower in exchange for the release of the borrower’s obligation 3606 under the mortgage loan. 3607 “Designee”, a nonprofit organization, established pursuant to chapter 180, which is 3608 selected by members of a tenant association. 3609 “Elderly tenant household”, a tenant household in which 1 or more of the residents are 3610 age 65 or older. 168 of 225 3611 “Executive office”, the executive office of housing and livable communities established 3612 in chapter 23B. 3613 “Foreclosure”, a legal proceeding to terminate a borrower’s interest in property instituted 3614 by a mortgagee and regulated under chapter 244. 3615 “Housing accommodation”, a building, structure or part thereof, rented or offered for rent 3616 for living or dwelling purposes, including, but not limited to, a house, apartment, condominium 3617 unit, cooperative unit and other multi-family residential dwelling; provided, that a housing 3618 accommodation shall not include a group residence, homeless shelter, lodging house, orphanage, 3619 temporary dwelling structure or transitional housing; and provided further, that a housing 3620 accommodation shall not include a borrower-occupied housing accommodation if the borrower 3621 is domiciled in the housing accommodation at the initiation of the short-sale, deed in lieu or 3622 foreclosure process. 3623 “Member”, a natural person who is a member of a tenant association. 3624 “Minimum tenant participation percentage”, the minimum percentage of tenants who 3625 shall participate as members of a tenant association as defined by the city or town in a municipal 3626 ordinance or by-law; provided, that the minimum tenant participation percentage shall be not less 3627 than 51 per cent of the tenant-occupied housing units. The percentage shall be calculated based 3628 on the number of tenant-occupied housing units in a property. If more than 1 person is a lessee in 3629 a unit, all of the tenants who are lessees for that unit shall participate as members of the tenant 3630 association for the unit to be counted toward the participating percentage of units. 3631 “Mortgagee”, an entity to whom property is mortgaged, including, but not limited to, 3632 mortgage servicers, lenders in a mortgage agreement and any agent, servant or employee of the 169 of 225 3633 mortgagee or any successor in interest or assignee of the mortgagee’s rights, interests or 3634 obligations under the mortgage agreement. 3635 “Mortgage loan”, a loan secured wholly or partially by a mortgage on a housing 3636 accommodation. 3637 “Owner”, a person, firm, partnership, corporation, trust, organization, limited liability 3638 company or other entity, or its successors or assigns that holds title to real property. 3639 “Purchase contract”, a binding written agreement whereby an owner agrees to sell 3640 property, including, but not limited to, a purchase and sale agreement, contract of sale, purchase 3641 option or other similar instrument. 3642 “Purchaser”, a party who has entered into a purchase contract with an owner and who 3643 will, upon performance of the purchase contract, become the new owner of the property. 3644 “Sale”, an act by which an owner conveys, transfers or disposes of property by deed or 3645 otherwise, whether through a single transaction or a series of transactions; provided, that a 3646 disposition of housing by an owner to an affiliate of such owner shall not constitute a sale. 3647 “Short-sale”, a sale approved by the mortgagee to a bona fide purchaser at a price that is 3648 less than the borrower’s existing debt on the housing accommodation. 3649 “Successor”, an entity through which a tenant association may take title to the property, 3650 which may be a corporation with the sole stockholder being the tenant association, a housing 3651 cooperative organized under chapter 157B, a limited liability company in which the tenant 3652 association is the member, a limited partnership in which the tenant association is a general 3653 partner or when permitted by the municipality’s ordinance, a joint venture between any of such 170 of 225 3654 entities and another party with: (i) the requisite experience in acquiring, developing and owning 3655 residential property; and (ii) the financial capacity to guaranty financing of the purchase 3656 transaction. 3657 “Tenant”, a natural person who has: (i) entered into an express written lease or rental 3658 agreement with the owner for exclusive possession of the premises for at least 6 months; or (ii) 3659 paid rent to the owner and the owner has accepted said rent for at least 6 months. 3660 “Tenant association”, an organization with a membership limited to present tenants of a 3661 property that is: (i) registered with the municipality that has adopted an ordinance or by-law 3662 consistent with this section; or (ii) a non-profit organization incorporated under chapter 180. 3663 “Third-party offer”, an offer to purchase the mortgaged property for valuable 3664 consideration by an arm’s length purchaser; provided, that a third-party offer shall not include an 3665 offer by the borrower or tenants. 3666 “Third-party purchaser”, a purchaser who is not a tenant association, a designee or an 3667 affiliate. 3668 (b)(1) A city or town may accept this section, in the manner provided in section 4 of 3669 chapter 4, through ordinance or by-law, to establish a tenant right to purchase property. This 3670 section shall take effect no later than 180 days after such acceptance. A city or town may at any 3671 time revoke its acceptance of this section by vote of the legislative body, subject to the charter of 3672 the municipality. The revocation shall not affect agreements relative to tenants’ right to purchase 3673 that have already been asserted prior to the revocation. 3674 (2) A municipal ordinance or by-law may contain provisions that establish: 171 of 225 3675 (i) tenancy protections for non-elderly tenant households that do not participate in the 3676 tenant association; 3677 (ii) exclusion of applicability to properties with fewer than a designated number of units; 3678 provided, that different exclusion numbers may be adopted for owner-occupied properties and 3679 properties with no owner occupancy; 3680 (iii) criteria for designees; 3681 (iv) a tenant association’s ability to exercise rights pursuant to this section through a joint 3682 venture or partnership with another entity with experience in developing, owning or operating 3683 residential real estate or an entity that has the financial capacity to guaranty the financing of the 3684 purchase transaction; and 3685 (v) exclusion of classes of properties in addition to the classes of properties enumerated 3686 in subsection (k). 3687 (c) In any city or town that votes to adopt this section, an owner of a residential building 3688 shall: (i) notify the municipality and each tenant household, in writing by hand delivery and 3689 United States mail, of the owner’s intention to sell the property, with copy of the municipality’s 3690 prepared summary of the ordinance adopted hereunder; and (ii) provide a tenant association with 3691 the minimum tenant participation percentage an opportunity to make an offer to purchase the 3692 property prior to entering into an agreement to sell such property pursuant to the time periods in 3693 this section; provided, that no owner shall be under any obligation to enter into an agreement to 3694 sell such property to the tenants. 172 of 225 3695 (d) A tenant association with the minimum tenant participation percentage may select a 3696 successor or a designee to act on its behalf as purchaser of the property and shall give the owner 3697 and the municipality notice of its selection. 3698 (e)(1) A tenant association with the minimum tenant participation percentage, or its 3699 successor or designee, may, within 15 days after receipt of the notice of the owner’s intention to 3700 sell, submit an offer to the owner to purchase the property. 3701 (2) A tenant association, successor or designee’s failure to submit a timely offer under 3702 paragraph (1) shall constitute an irrevocable waiver of the tenants’ rights under this section. If 3703 the owner and the tenant association, successor or designee, have not entered into an agreement 3704 within 15 days after receipt of the notice of the owner’s intent to sell, the owner may enter into 3705 an agreement to sell the property to a third party, subject to subsections (f) to (i), inclusive. 3706 (f) Upon execution of any purchase contract with a third party, the owner shall, within 7 3707 days, submit a copy of the contract along with a proposed purchase contract for execution by the 3708 tenant association, successor or designee. If the tenant association, successor or designee elect to 3709 purchase the property, the tenant association, successor or designee shall within 30 days after the 3710 receipt of the third-party purchase contract and the proposed purchase contract, execute the 3711 proposed purchase contract or such other agreement as is acceptable to both parties. The time 3712 periods set forth in this subsection may be extended by agreement between the owner and the 3713 tenant association, successor or designee. Except as otherwise specified in subsection (h), the 3714 terms and conditions of the proposed purchase contract offered to the tenant association, 3715 successor or designee shall be the same as those of the executed third-party purchase contract. 173 of 225 3716 (g) After receipt of the third-party purchase contract pursuant to subsection (f), the tenant 3717 association, successor or designee may, within the 15-day time period prescribed in said 3718 subsection (f), make a counteroffer by executing and submitting to the owner an amended 3719 proposed purchase contract. Failure by the tenant association, successor or designee to execute 3720 the purchase contract or submit a counteroffer within the 15-day period in subsection (f) shall 3721 constitute a waiver of the tenants’ right to purchase. If the tenant association, successor or 3722 designee submits a counteroffer, the owner shall have 15 days from the date it receives the 3723 amended proposed purchase contract to execute the amended proposed purchase contract or 3724 reject, in writing, the counteroffer; provided, however, that if the owner rejects a counteroffer, it 3725 shall not subsequently enter into any purchase contract with a third party on terms that are the 3726 same as, or materially more favorable to the proposed third party purchaser, than the economic 3727 terms and conditions in the counteroffer proposed by the tenant association, successor or 3728 designee, unless the owner first provides a copy of such new third-party purchase contract and a 3729 new proposed purchase contract for execution by the tenant association, successor or designee, 3730 which shall contain the same terms and conditions as the newly executed third party purchase 3731 contract, except as otherwise specified by subsection (h), and the tenant association, successor or 3732 designee shall have 30 days from the date they receive the third-party purchase contract and the 3733 proposed purchase contract to execute the proposed purchase contract or such other agreement as 3734 is acceptable to the owner and the tenant association, successor or designee. 3735 (h) Any purchase contract offered to, or proposed by, the tenant association, successor or 3736 designee shall include at a minimum the following terms: 3737 (i) the earnest money deposit shall not exceed the lesser of: (A) the deposit in the third- 3738 party purchase contract; (B) 5 per cent of the sale price; or (C) $250,000; provided, however, that 174 of 225 3739 the owner and the tenant association, successor or designee may agree to modify the terms of the 3740 earnest money deposit; and provided, further, that the earnest money deposit shall be held under 3741 commercially-reasonable terms by an escrow agent selected jointly by the owner and the tenant 3742 association, successor or designee; 3743 (ii) the earnest money deposit shall be refundable for not less than 90 days from the date 3744 of execution of the purchase contract or such greater period as provided for in the third-party 3745 purchase contract; provided, however, that if the owner unreasonably delays the buyer’s ability 3746 to conduct due diligence during the 90-day period, the earnest money deposit shall continue to be 3747 refundable for a period greater than 90 days. After the expiration of the specified time period, the 3748 earnest money deposit shall be forfeited and the right to purchase of the tenant association, 3749 successor or designee shall be irrevocably waived. 3750 (i) The tenant association, successor or designee shall have 160 days from execution of 3751 the purchase and sale agreement to perform all due diligence, secure financing and close on the 3752 purchase of the property. Failure to exercise the purchase option within 160 days shall constitute 3753 a waiver of the purchase option by the tenant association, successor or designee. 3754 (j) Any notice required by this section shall be deemed to have been provided when 3755 delivered in person or mailed by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the party 3756 to whom notice is required. Notice shall be deemed to have been provided when either: (i) the 3757 notice is delivered in hand to the tenant or an adult member of the tenant’s household; or (ii) the 3758 notice is sent by first class mail and a copy is left in, or under the door of, the tenant’s dwelling 3759 unit. A notice to the affected municipality shall be sent to the chief executive officer of the 3760 municipality. 175 of 225 3761 (k) This section shall not apply to: 3762 (i) property that is the subject of a government taking by eminent domain or a negotiated 3763 purchase in lieu of eminent domain; 3764 (ii) a proposed sale to a purchaser pursuant to terms and conditions that preserve 3765 affordability, as determined by the executive office; 3766 (iii) any sale of publicly-assisted housing, as defined in section 1 of chapter 40T; 3767 (iv) rental units in any hospital, skilled nursing facility or health facility; 3768 (v) rental units in a nonprofit facility that has the primary purpose of providing short-term 3769 treatment, assistance or therapy for alcohol, drug or other substance abuse; provided, that such 3770 housing is incident to the recovery program; and provided further, that the client has been 3771 informed in writing of the temporary or transitional nature of the housing; 3772 (vi) rental units in a nonprofit facility: (A) that provides a structured living environment 3773 that has the primary purpose of helping homeless persons obtain the skills necessary for 3774 independent living in permanent housing; (B) where occupancy is restricted to a limited and 3775 specific period of time of not more than 24 months; and (C) where the client has been informed 3776 in writing of the temporary or transitional nature of the housing at its inception; 3777 (vii) public housing units managed by the local housing authority; 3778 (viii) federal public housing units that are subsidized and regulated under federal law, to 3779 the extent such applicable federal law expressly preempts this section; 176 of 225 3780 (ix) any residential property where the owner is a natural person who owns not more than 3781 6 residential rental units in the municipality and who resides in the commonwealth; 3782 (x) any unit that is held in trust on behalf of a disabled individual who permanently 3783 occupies the unit, or a unit that is permanently occupied by a disabled parent, sibling, child or 3784 grandparent of the owner of that unit; or 3785 (xi) any rental unit that is owned or managed by a college or university for the express 3786 purpose of housing students. 3787 (l) The tenant association, successor or designee shall ensure that its purchase of the 3788 property will not result in the displacement of any elderly tenant households that choose not to 3789 participate in the purchase of the property. 3790 (m)(1) An owner shall give notice to each tenant household of a housing accommodation 3791 of the intention to sell the housing accommodation by way of short-sale to avoid foreclosure or 3792 its intention of accepting a deed in lieu. Such notice shall be mailed by regular and certified mail, 3793 with a simultaneous copy to the attorney general, the secretary of the executive office and to the 3794 municipality adopting this section, within 2 business days of the owner’s submission of a request 3795 or application to the mortgagee for permission to sell the housing accommodation by way of 3796 short-sale or to accept a deed in lieu. This notice shall also include a statement of the rights 3797 provided by this section. 3798 (2) No mortgagee shall accept any third party offers or deem the owner’s application for 3799 short-sale submitted for review unless and until the mortgagee receives documentation in a form 3800 approved by the attorney general demonstrating that the tenants of the housing accommodation 3801 have been informed of the owner’s intent to seek a short-sale or deed in lieu and the tenants have 177 of 225 3802 expressed their interest in exercising a right of first refusal within 60 days, assigning that right of 3803 first refusal, or the tenants have waived those rights. If the tenants have not affirmatively 3804 expressed their interest in exercising a right of first refusal or in assigning that right within 60 3805 days or have not affirmatively waived that right within 60 days, the tenants’ rights shall be 3806 deemed waived. 3807 (3) Before a housing accommodation may be transferred by short-sale or deed in lieu, the 3808 owner shall notify each tenant household, with a simultaneous copy to the attorney general, the 3809 secretary of the executive office and the municipality adopting this section, by regular and 3810 certified mail, of any bona fide offer that the mortgagee intends to accept. Before any short-sale 3811 or transfer by deed in lieu, the owner shall give each tenant household such a notice of the offer 3812 only if households constituting at least 51 per cent of the households occupying the housing 3813 accommodation notify the owner, in writing, that they collectively desire to receive information 3814 relating to the proposed sale. Tenants may indicate this desire within the same notice described 3815 in paragraph (2). Any notice of the offer required to be given under this subsection shall include 3816 the price, calculated as a single lump sum amount, of any promissory notes offered in lieu of 3817 cash payment. 3818 (4) A group of tenants representing at least 51 per cent of the households occupying the 3819 housing accommodation that are entitled to notice under paragraph (3) shall have the collective 3820 right to purchase, in the case of a third party offer that the mortgagee intends to accept, provided 3821 that the group of tenants shall: 178 of 225 3822 (A) submit to the owner reasonable evidence that the tenants of at least 51 per cent of the 3823 occupied units in the housing accommodation have approved the purchase of the housing 3824 accommodation; 3825 (B) submit to the owner a proposed purchase and sale agreement on substantially 3826 equivalent terms and conditions within 60 days of receipt of notice of the offer made under 3827 paragraph (3); 3828 (C) obtain a binding commitment for any necessary financing or guarantees within an 3829 additional 90 days after execution of the purchase and sale agreement; and 3830 (D) close on such purchase within an additional 90 days after the end of the 90-day 3831 period in clause (C). 3832 (5) No owner shall unreasonably refuse to enter into or unreasonably delay the execution 3833 or closing on a purchase and sale with tenants who have made a bona fide offer to meet the price 3834 and substantially equivalent terms and conditions of an offer for which notice is required to be 3835 given pursuant to paragraph (3). Failure of the tenants to submit such a purchase and sale 3836 agreement within the first 60-day period, to obtain a binding commitment for financing within 3837 the additional 90-day period or to close on the purchase within the second 90-day period, shall 3838 serve to terminate the rights of such tenants to purchase. The time periods provided in this 3839 paragraph may be extended by agreement. Nothing herein shall be construed to require an owner 3840 to provide financing to such tenants. A group or association of tenants that has the right to 3841 purchase pursuant to this subsection, at its election, may assign its purchase right pursuant to this 3842 subsection to the city or town in which the housing accommodation is located, or the housing 3843 authority of the city or town in which the housing accommodation is located, or an agency of the 179 of 225 3844 commonwealth, nonprofit, community development corporation, affordable housing developer, 3845 or land trust, for the purpose of permanently continuing the use of the housing accommodation as 3846 affordable rental housing. 3847 (6) The right of first refusal created in this subsection shall inure to the tenants for the 3848 time periods provided in paragraph (4), beginning on the date of notice to the tenants under 3849 paragraph (1). The effective period for such right of first refusal shall begin anew for each 3850 different offer to purchase that the mortgagee intends to accept. The right of first refusal shall not 3851 apply with respect to any offer received by the owner for which a notice is not required pursuant 3852 to paragraph (3). 3853 (7) In any instance where the tenants are not the successful purchaser of the housing 3854 accommodation, the mortgagee shall provide evidence of compliance with this section by filing 3855 an affidavit of compliance with the attorney general, the secretary of the executive office and the 3856 registry of deeds for the county and district where the property is located within 7 days of the 3857 sale. 3858 (8) An owner shall not evict a tenant to avoid application of this subsection. 3859 (9) An aggrieved tenant may seek damages under chapter 93A and may file a complaint 3860 with the attorney general. A tenant may seek damages, including compensatory relief in the form 3861 of a percentage of the sales price, injunctive relief in the form of specific performance to compel 3862 transfer of the property or both compensatory and injunctive relief. Nothing in this subsection 3863 shall be construed to limit or constrain the rights tenants currently have under applicable laws, 3864 including, but not limited to, chapters 186 and 186A. At all times, all parties shall negotiate in 3865 good faith. 180 of 225 3866 (10) The attorney general shall enforce this subsection and shall promulgate rules and 3867 regulations necessary for enforcement. The attorney general may seek injunctive, declaratory and 3868 compensatory relief on behalf of tenants and the commonwealth in a court of competent 3869 jurisdiction. The attorney general shall post a sample intent to sell notice, sample proof of notice 3870 to tenants, sample notice of offer and other necessary documents. 3871 (n)(1) When a mortgagee seeks judicial determination of the right to foreclose, the 3872 mortgagee shall provide a copy of the complaint by regular and certified mail to the tenants of 3873 the housing accommodation and to the municipality adopting this section. The mortgagee shall 3874 also provide tenants and the municipality, by regular and certified mail, with a copy of any order 3875 of notice issued by the land court, if applicable, within 5 days of issuance. 3876 (2) The mortgagee shall provide each tenant household and the municipality adopting this 3877 section, by regular and certified mail, a copy of all notices of sale published pursuant to section 3878 14 of chapter 244. A copy shall be provided simultaneously with the successive publication 3879 notices. 3880 (3) Not later than 5 business days before the auction of a housing accommodation, the 3881 tenants shall inform the mortgagee, in writing, if a group of tenants representing at least 51 per 3882 cent of the households occupying the housing accommodation or an entity to which they have 3883 assigned their right of first refusal intend to exercise their right of first refusal at auction and 3884 desire to receive information relating to the proposed auction. 3885 (4)(A) A group of tenants representing at least 51 per cent of the households occupying 3886 the housing accommodation or an entity to which they have assigned their right of first refusal 181 of 225 3887 may exercise their collective right to purchase the housing accommodation, in the event of a 3888 third party offer at auction that the mortgagee receives; provided, that the group of tenants shall: 3889 (i) submit to the mortgagee reasonable evidence that the tenants of at least 51 per cent of 3890 the occupied homes in the housing accommodation have approved the purchase of the housing 3891 accommodation; 3892 (ii) submit to the mortgagee a proposed purchase and sale agreement on substantially 3893 equivalent terms and conditions to that received by the mortgagee in the third-party offer within 3894 60 days of receipt of notice of the bid made under paragraph (3); 3895 (iii) obtain a binding commitment for any necessary financing or guarantees within an 3896 additional 90 days after execution of the purchase and sale agreement; and 3897 (iv) close on such purchase within an additional 90 days after the end of the 90-day 3898 period under clause (iii). 3899 (B) No mortgagee shall unreasonably refuse to enter into, or unreasonably delay, the 3900 execution or closing on a purchase and sale with tenants who have made a bona fide offer to 3901 meet the price and substantially equivalent terms and conditions of a bid received at auction. 3902 Failure of the tenants to submit such a purchase and sale agreement within the first 60-day 3903 period, to obtain a binding commitment for financing within the additional 90-day period or to 3904 close on the purchase within the second 90-day period, shall serve to terminate the rights of such 3905 tenants to purchase. The time periods provided in this paragraph may be extended by agreement. 3906 (C) Nothing herein shall be construed to require a mortgagee to provide financing to such 3907 tenants. A group or association of tenants that has the right to purchase hereunder, at its election, 182 of 225 3908 may assign its purchase right hereunder to the city, town, housing authority, or agency of the 3909 commonwealth, nonprofit, community development corporation, affordable housing developer, 3910 or land trust for the purpose of permanently continuing the use of the housing accommodation as 3911 affordable rental housing. 3912 (D) If there are no third-party bids at auction for the housing accommodation, the tenants 3913 shall have a right of first refusal whenever the mortgagee seeks to sell the housing 3914 accommodation. The tenants shall be notified of any offers the mortgagee intends to accept and 3915 shall be given an opportunity to meet the price and substantially the terms of a third-party offer 3916 based on the same timeline described in paragraph (4). 3917 (5) The right of first refusal created herein shall inure to the tenants for the time periods 3918 herein before provided, beginning on the date of notice to the tenants under paragraph (1). 3919 (6) In any instance where the tenants are not the successful purchaser of the housing 3920 accommodation, the seller of such unit shall provide evidence of compliance with this section by 3921 filing an affidavit of compliance with the attorney general, the secretary of the executive office 3922 and the registry of deeds for the county and district where the property is located within 7 days of 3923 the sale. 3924 (7) An owner shall not evict a tenant to avoid application of this subsection. 3925 (8) An aggrieved tenant may seek damages under chapter 93A and may file a complaint 3926 with the attorney general. A tenant may seek damages including a percentage of the sales price 3927 or injunctive relief in the form of specific performance to compel transfer of property, or both 3928 compensatory and injunctive relief. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or 183 of 225 3929 constrain in any way the rights tenants currently have under applicable laws, including, but not 3930 limited to, chapters 186 and 186A. At all times, all parties shall negotiate in good faith. 3931 (9) The attorney general shall enforce this subsection and shall promulgate rules and 3932 regulations necessary for enforcement. The attorney general may seek injunctive, declaratory, 3933 and compensatory relief on behalf of tenants and the commonwealth in a court of competent 3934 jurisdiction. The attorney general shall post a sample intent to sell notice, sample proof of notice 3935 to tenants, sample notice of offer, and other necessary documents. 3936 SECTION 133A1/4. Chapter 270 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 3937 following section:- 3938 Section 30. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the 3939 context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3940 “Department”, the department of public health. 3941 “Food”, a food, food product, food ingredient, dietary ingredient, dietary supplement or 3942 beverage for human consumption. 3943 “Kratom product”, a food product or dietary ingredient containing any part of the leaf of 3944 the Mitragyna speciosa plant, or a kratom extract, manufactured as a food, powder, capsule, pill, 3945 beverage or other edible product, including, but not limited to, any material, compound, mixture 3946 or preparation containing kratom. 3947 “Kratom retailer”, a person or entity who sells maintains or distributes kratom or 3948 advertises, represents or holds itself out as selling, maintaining or distributing kratom products. 184 of 225 3949 “Manufacture”, the production, preparation, compounding or processing of a kratom 3950 product, either directly or indirectly or by extraction from substances of natural origin, or 3951 independently by means of chemical synthesis or by a combination of extraction and chemical 3952 synthesis; provided, that manufacture shall include, but shall not be limited to, any packaging or 3953 repackaging of a kratom product or labeling or relabeling of its container. 3954 (b) A kratom retailer shall not sell, distribute or offer for sale a kratom product without a 3955 label clearly stating: (i) the name and address of its manufacturer; (ii) a full list of its ingredients; 3956 and (iii) directions for its safe and effective use, including the recommended serving size. 3957 (c) A kratom retailer shall not distribute, advertise, sell or offer for sale: 3958 (i) a kratom product that is contaminated with a dangerous non-kratom substance; 3959 provided, that a kratom product shall be considered to be contaminated with a dangerous non- 3960 kratom substance if the kratom product contains a poisonous or otherwise deleterious non- 3961 kratom ingredient, including, but not limited to, a controlled substance or controlled substance 3962 analogue as both are defined in section 1 of chapter 94C; 3963 (ii) a kratom product containing a level of 7-hydroxymitragynine in the alkaloid fraction 3964 that is greater than 2 per cent of the overall alkaloid composition of the product; or 3965 (iii) a kratom product containing any synthetic alkaloids including synthetic mitragynine, 3966 synthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine or any other synthetically derived compounds of the kratom 3967 plant. 3968 (d) A kratom retailer shall not knowingly distribute, sell or offer for sale any kratom 3969 product to an individual under 21 years of age. 185 of 225 3970 (e) A kratom retailer who violates subsection (b) or subsection (c) shall be subject to an 3971 administrative fine of not more than $500 for the first offense and not more than $1,000 for a 3972 second or subsequent offense. Upon the request of a person to whom an administrative fine is 3973 issued, the department shall conduct a hearing in accordance with chapter 30A. 3974 (f) A kratom retailer shall not be in violation of subsection (b) or subsection (c) if it can 3975 show by a preponderance of the evidence that it relied in good faith upon the representations of a 3976 manufacturer, processor, packer or distributor of a kratom product or food represented to be a 3977 kratom product that such product was in compliance with this section. 3978 (g) A kratom retailer who violates subsection (d) shall be punished by a fine of $1,000 for 3979 the first offense, $2,000 for a second offense and $5,000 for a third or subsequent offense. Upon 3980 the request of a person to whom an administrative fine is issued, the department shall conduct a 3981 hearing in accordance with chapter 30A. 3982 (h) The department shall promulgate rules and regulations for the administration and 3983 enforcement of this section, including, but not limited to, standards for accurate labeling and for 3984 testing kratom products for safety. 3985 SECTION 133A1/2. Section 5B of chapter 271 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 3986 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 55 and 56, the words “whether live 3987 or simulcast” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- whether live, simulcast or 3988 historical. 3989 SECTION 133B1/3. Section 17A of said chapter 271, as so appearing, is hereby amended 3990 by inserting after the word “5C”, in line 20, the following words:- or section 5D. 186 of 225 3991 SECTION 133AA 1/4. Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking 3992 out section 162Z and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 3993 Section 162Z. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context 3994 clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 3995 “Designated responsible producer” or “DRP”, a person responsible for the limited lines 3996 travel insurance producer’s compliance with the travel insurance laws, rules and regulations. 3997 “Limited lines travel insurance producer”, a: (i) managing general agent or third-party 3998 administrator; (iii) licensed insurance producer, including a limited lines producer; or (iii) travel 3999 administrator. 4000 “Offer and disseminate”, to provide general information, including a description of the 4001 coverage and price, as well as processing the application, collecting premiums. 4002 “Travel administrator”, a person who directly or indirectly underwrites, collects charges, 4003 collateral or premiums from, or adjusts or settles claims on residents of the commonwealth, in 4004 connection with travel insurance; provided, that a person shall not be considered a travel 4005 administrator if that person’s only actions that would otherwise cause it to be considered a travel 4006 administrator are among the following: 4007 (i) a person working for a travel administrator to the extent that the person’s activities are 4008 subject to the supervision and control of the travel administrator; 4009 (ii) an insurance producer selling insurance or engaged in administrative and claims- 4010 related activities within the scope of the producer’s license; 187 of 225 4011 (iii) a travel retailer offering and disseminating travel insurance and registered under the 4012 license of a limited lines travel insurance producer in accordance with this section; 4013 (iv) an individual adjusting or settling claims in the normal course of that individual’s 4014 practice or employment as an attorney-at-law and who does not collect charges or premiums in 4015 connection with insurance coverage; or 4016 (v) a business entity that is affiliated with a licensed insurer while acting as a travel 4017 administrator for the direct and assumed insurance business of an affiliated insurer. 4018 “Travel insurance”, insurance coverage for personal risks incidental to planned travel as 4019 defined in section 1 of chapter 175M. 4020 “Travel retailer”, a business entity that makes, arranges or offers planned travel and may 4021 offer and disseminate travel insurance as a service to its customers on behalf of and under the 4022 direction of a limited lines travel insurance producer. 4023 (b)(1) The commissioner may issue to an individual or business entity a limited lines 4024 travel insurance producer license if that individual or business entity has filed an application for 4025 a limited lines travel insurance producer license with the commissioner in a form and manner 4026 prescribed by the commissioner. A limited lines travel insurance producer license may authorize 4027 a limited lines travel insurance producer to sell, solicit or negotiate travel insurance through a 4028 licensed insurer. No person shall act as a limited lines travel insurance producer or travel retailer 4029 unless properly licensed or registered, respectively. 4030 (2) A travel retailer may offer and disseminate travel insurance under a limited lines 4031 travel insurance producer license if the following conditions are met: 188 of 225 4032 (i) the limited lines travel insurance producer or travel retailer provides to purchasers of 4033 travel insurance: (A) a description of the material terms or the actual material terms of the 4034 insurance coverage; (B) a description of the process for filing a claim; (C) a description of the 4035 review or cancellation process for the travel insurance policy; and (D) the identity and contact 4036 information of the insurer and limited lines travel insurance producer; 4037 (ii) at the time of licensure, the limited lines travel insurance producer shall establish and 4038 maintain a register, on a form prescribed by the commissioner, of each travel retailer that offers 4039 travel insurance on the limited lines travel insurance producer’s behalf; provided, however, that 4040 the register shall be maintained and updated annually by the limited lines travel insurance 4041 producer and shall include the name, address and contact information of the travel retailer and an 4042 officer or person who directs or controls the travel retailer’s operations and the travel retailer’s 4043 federal tax identification number; provided further, that the limited lines travel insurance 4044 producer shall submit the register to the division of insurance upon reasonable request and shall 4045 certify that the travel retailer registered complies with 18 U.S.C. section 1033; and provided 4046 further, that the grounds for the suspension, revocation and the penalties applicable to resident 4047 insurance producers under this chapter and chapter 176D shall be applicable to the limited lines 4048 travel insurance producers and travel retailers; 4049 (iii) the limited lines travel insurance producer has designated 1 of its employees, who is 4050 a licensed individual producer, as the DRP; 4051 (iv) the DRP, president, secretary, treasurer and any other officer or person who directs or 4052 controls the limited lines travel insurance producer’s insurance operations shall comply with the 189 of 225 4053 fingerprinting requirements applicable to insurance producers in the resident state of the limited 4054 lines travel insurance producer; 4055 (v) the limited lines travel insurance producer has paid all applicable insurance producer 4056 licensing fees; and 4057 (vi) the limited lines travel insurance producer shall require each employee and 4058 authorized representative of the travel retailer, whose duties include offering and disseminating 4059 travel insurance, to receive a program of instruction or training, which may be subject, at the 4060 discretion of the commissioner, to review and approval by the commissioner; provided, however, 4061 that the training material shall, at a minimum, contain instructions on the types of insurance 4062 offered, ethical sales practices and required disclosures to prospective customers. 4063 (c) Any travel retailer offering or disseminating travel insurance shall make available to 4064 prospective purchasers, brochures or other written materials that have been approved by the 4065 travel insurer. Such materials shall include information which, at a minimum: (i) provides the 4066 identity and contact information of the insurer and the limited lines travel insurance producer; (ii) 4067 explains that the purchase of travel insurance is not required in order to purchase any other 4068 product or service from the travel retailer; and (iii) explains that an unlicensed travel retailer is 4069 permitted to provide general information about the insurance offered by the travel retailer, 4070 including a description of the coverage and price, but is not qualified or authorized to answer 4071 technical questions about the terms and conditions of the insurance offered by the travel retailer 4072 or to evaluate the adequacy of the customer’s existing insurance coverage. 4073 (d) A travel retailer’s employee or authorized representative who is not licensed as a 4074 limited lines travel insurance producer shall not: (i) evaluate or interpret the technical terms, 190 of 225 4075 benefits and conditions of the offered travel insurance coverage; (ii) evaluate or provide advice 4076 concerning a prospective purchaser’s existing insurance coverage; or (iii) hold oneself out as a 4077 licensed insurer, licensed producer or insurance expert. 4078 (e) Notwithstanding any other provision in law, a travel retailer, whose insurance-related 4079 activities, and those of its employees and authorized representatives, are limited to offering and 4080 disseminating travel insurance on behalf of and under the direction of a limited lines travel 4081 insurance producer, meeting the conditions stated in this section, may receive related 4082 compensation, upon registration by the limited lines travel insurance producer as described in 4083 subsection (b). 4084 (f) Travel insurance may be provided under an individual policy or under a group or 4085 blanket policy. 4086 (g) As the insurer designee, the limited lines travel insurance producer shall be 4087 responsible for the acts of the travel retailer and shall use reasonable means to ensure compliance 4088 by the travel retailer with this section. 4089 (h) Any person licensed in a major line of authority as an insurance producer may sell, 4090 solicit and negotiate travel insurance. A property and casualty insurance producer shall not be 4091 required to become appointed by an insurer in order to sell, solicit or negotiate travel insurance. 4092 SECTION 133AA 1/2. The General Laws are hereby further amended by inserting after 4093 chapter 175M the following chapter:- 4094 Chapter 175N 4095 TRAVEL INSURANCE 191 of 225 4096 Section 1. (a) The purpose of this chapter shall be to promote the public welfare by 4097 creating a comprehensive legal framework within which travel insurance may be sold in the 4098 commonwealth. 4099 (b) The requirements of this chapter shall apply to travel insurance that covers any 4100 resident of the commonwealth, and is sold, solicited, negotiated or offered in the commonwealth, 4101 and policies and certificates are delivered or issued for delivery in the commonwealth. This 4102 chapter shall not apply to cancellation fee waivers or travel assistance services, except as 4103 expressly provided herein. 4104 (c) All other applicable provisions of the commonwealth’s insurance laws shall continue 4105 to apply to travel insurance except that the specific provisions of this chapter shall supersede any 4106 general provisions of law that would otherwise be applicable to travel insurance. 4107 Section 2. As used in this chapter, the following words shall, unless the context clearly 4108 requires otherwise, have the following meanings: 4109 “Aggregator site”, a website that provides access to information regarding insurance 4110 products from more than 1 insurer, including product and insurer information, for use in 4111 comparison shopping. 4112 “Blanket travel insurance”, a policy of travel insurance issued to any eligible group 4113 providing coverage for specific classes of persons defined in the policy with coverage provided 4114 to all members of the eligible group without a separate charge to individual members of the 4115 eligible group. 192 of 225 4116 “Cancellation fee waiver”, a contractual agreement between a supplier of travel services 4117 and its customer to waive some or all of the non-refundable cancellation fee provisions of the 4118 supplier’s underlying travel contract with or without regard to the reason for the cancellation or 4119 form of reimbursement. A cancellation fee waiver shall not be insurance. 4120 “Commissioner”, the commissioner of insurance. 4121 “Eligible group”, solely for the purposes of travel insurance, 2 or more persons who are 4122 engaged in a common enterprise or have an economic, educational or social affinity or 4123 relationship, including, but not limited to, any of the following: 4124 (i) any entity engaged in the business of providing travel or travel services, including, but 4125 not limited to: tour operators, lodging providers, vacation property owners, hotels and resorts, 4126 travel clubs, travel agencies, property managers, cultural exchange programs and common 4127 carriers or the operator, owner or lessor of a means of transportation of passengers, including, but 4128 not limited to, airlines, cruise lines, railroads, steamship companies and public bus carriers, 4129 wherein with regard to any particular travel or type of travel or travelers, all members or 4130 customers of the group shall have a common exposure to risk attendant to such travel; 4131 (ii) any college, school or other institution of learning, covering students, teachers, 4132 employees or volunteers; 4133 (iii) any employer covering any group of employees, volunteers, contractors, board of 4134 directors, dependents or guests; 4135 (iv) any sports team, camp or sponsor thereof, covering participants, members, campers, 4136 employees, officials, supervisors or volunteers; 193 of 225 4137 (v) any religious, charitable, recreational, educational or civic organization, or branch 4138 thereof, covering any group of members, participants or volunteers; 4139 (vi) any financial institution or financial institution vendor, or parent holding company, 4140 trustee or agent of or designated by 1 or more financial institutions or financial institution 4141 vendors, including accountholders, credit card holders, debtors, guarantors or purchasers; 4142 (vii) any incorporated or unincorporated association, including labor unions, having a 4143 common interest, constitution and bylaws and organized and maintained in good faith for 4144 purposes other than obtaining insurance for members or participants of such association covering 4145 its members; 4146 (viii) any trust or the trustees of a fund established, created or maintained for the benefit 4147 of and covering members, employees or customers, subject to the commissioner’s permitting the 4148 use of a trust and the state’s premium tax provisions in section 3 of 1 or more associations 4149 meeting the requirements of clause (vii); 4150 (ix) any entertainment production company covering any group of participants, 4151 volunteers, audience members, contestants or workers; 4152 (x) any volunteer fire department, ambulance, rescue, police, court or any first aid, civil 4153 defense or other such volunteer group; 4154 (xi) preschools, daycare institutions for children or adults and senior citizen clubs; 4155 (xii) any automobile or truck rental or leasing company covering a group of individuals 4156 who may become renters, lessees or passengers defined by their travel status on the rented or 4157 leased vehicles; provided, that the common carrier, the operator, owner or lessor of a means of 194 of 225 4158 transportation, or the automobile or truck rental or leasing company, shall be the policyholder 4159 under a policy to which this section applies; or 4160 (xiii) any other group where the commissioner has determined that the members are 4161 engaged in a common enterprise, or have an economic, educational or social affinity or 4162 relationship, and that issuance of the policy would not be contrary to the public interest. 4163 “Fulfillment materials”, documentation sent to the purchaser of a travel protection plan 4164 confirming the purchase and providing the travel protection plan’s coverage and assistance 4165 details. 4166 “Group travel insurance”, travel insurance issued to any eligible group. 4167 “Limited lines travel insurance producer”, as defined section 162Z of chapter 175. 4168 “Offer and disseminate”, as defined in section in section 162Z of chapter 175. 4169 “Primary certificate folder”, an individual person who elects and purchases travel 4170 insurance under a group policy. 4171 “Primary policyholder”, an individual person who elects and purchases individual travel 4172 insurance. 4173 “Travel administrator”, as defined in section 162Z of chapter 175. 4174 “Travel assistance services”, non-insurance services for which the consumer is not 4175 indemnified based on a fortuitous event, and where providing the service shall not result in 4176 transfer or shifting of risk that would constitute the business of insurance. Travel assistance 4177 services include, but shall not be limited to: security advisories, destination information, 195 of 225 4178 vaccination and immunization information services, travel reservation services, entertainment, 4179 activity and event planning, translation assistance, emergency messaging, international legal and 4180 medical referrals, medical case monitoring, coordination of transportation arrangements, 4181 emergency cash transfer assistance, medical prescription replacement assistance, passport and 4182 travel document replacement assistance, lost luggage assistance, concierge services and any 4183 other service that may be furnished in connection with planned travel. Travel assistance services 4184 shall not be insurance and not related to insurance. 4185 “Travel insurance”, insurance coverage for personal risks incidental to planned travel 4186 including, but not limited to: (i) an interruption or cancellation of trip or event; (ii) loss of 4187 baggage or personal effects; (iii) damages to accommodations or rental vehicles; (iv) sickness, 4188 accident, disability or death occurring during travel; (v) emergency evacuation; (vi) repatriation 4189 of remains; or (vii) any other contractual obligations to indemnify or pay a specified amount to 4190 the traveler upon determinable contingencies related to travel as approved by the commissioner; 4191 provided, however, that “travel insurance” shall not include major medical plans, which provide 4192 comprehensive medical protection for travelers with trips lasting longer than 6 months, 4193 including, for example, people working or residing overseas as an expatriate, or any other 4194 product that requires a specific insurance producer license. 4195 “Travel protection plans”, plans that provide 1 or more of the following: travel insurance, 4196 travel assistance services and cancellation fee waivers. 4197 “Travel retailer”, a business entity that makes, arranges or offers travel services and may 4198 offer and disseminate travel insurance as a service to its customers on behalf of and under the 4199 direction of a limited lines travel insurance producer. 196 of 225 4200 Section 3. (a) A travel insurer shall pay premium tax, as provided in section 22 of chapter 4201 63, on travel insurance premiums paid by any of the following: 4202 (i) an individual primary policyholder who is a resident of the commonwealth; 4203 (ii) a primary certificate holder who is a resident of the commonwealth who elects 4204 coverage under a group travel insurance policy; or 4205 (iii) a blanket travel insurance policyholder who is a resident in or has its principal place 4206 of business or the principal place of business of an affiliate or subsidiary that has purchased 4207 blanket travel insurance in the commonwealth for eligible blanket group members, subject to any 4208 apportionment rules which apply to the insurer across multiple taxing jurisdictions or that permit 4209 the insurer to allocate premium on an apportioned basis in a reasonable and equitable manner in 4210 those jurisdictions. 4211 (b) A travel insurer shall: (i) document the state of residence or principal place of 4212 business of the policyholder or certificate holder, as required in subsection (a); and (ii) report as 4213 premium only the amount allocable to travel insurance and not any amounts received for travel 4214 assistance services or cancellation fee waivers. 4215 Section 4. Travel protection plans may be offered for 1 price for the combined features 4216 that the travel protection plan offers in the commonwealth if: 4217 (i) the travel protection plan clearly discloses to the consumer, at or prior to the time of 4218 purchase, that it includes travel insurance, travel assistance services and cancellation fee waivers, 4219 as applicable, and provides information and an opportunity, at or prior to the time of purchase, 4220 for the consumer to obtain additional information regarding the features and pricing of each; and 197 of 225 4221 (ii) the fulfillment materials: (A) describe and delineate the travel insurance, travel 4222 assistance services and cancellation fee waivers in the travel protection plan; and (B) include the 4223 travel insurance disclosures and the contact information for persons providing travel assistance 4224 services, and cancellation fee waivers, as applicable. 4225 Section 5. (a) All persons offering travel insurance to residents of the commonwealth 4226 shall be subject to chapter 176D, except as otherwise provided in this section. In the event of a 4227 conflict between this chapter and other provisions of the commonwealth’s laws regarding the 4228 sale and marketing of travel insurance and travel protection plans, the provisions of this chapter 4229 shall control. 4230 (b) Offering or selling a travel insurance policy that could never result in payment of any 4231 claims for any insured under the policy shall be an unfair trade practice under chapter 176D. 4232 (c)(1) All documents provided to consumers prior to the purchase of travel insurance, 4233 including, but not limited to, sales materials, advertising materials and marketing materials, shall 4234 be consistent with the travel insurance policy itself, including, but not limited to, forms, 4235 endorsements, policies, rate filings and certificates of insurance. 4236 (2) For travel insurance policies or certificates that contain pre-existing condition 4237 exclusions, information and an opportunity to learn more about the pre-existing condition 4238 exclusions shall be provided any time prior to the time of purchase and in the coverage’s 4239 fulfillment materials. 4240 (3) The fulfillment materials and the information described in clause (i) of paragraph (2) 4241 of subsection (b) of section 162Z of chapter 175 shall be provided to a policyholder or certificate 4242 holder as soon as practicable, following the purchase of a travel protection plan. Unless the 198 of 225 4243 insured has either started a covered trip or filed a claim under the travel insurance coverage, a 4244 policyholder or certificate holder may cancel a policy or certificate for a full refund of the travel 4245 protection plan price from the date of purchase of a travel protection plan until at least: (i) 15 4246 days following the date of delivery of the travel protection plan’s fulfillment materials by postal 4247 mail; or (ii) 10 days following the date of delivery of the travel protection plan’s fulfillment 4248 materials by means other than postal mail. For the purposes of this section, delivery shall mean 4249 handing fulfillment materials to the policyholder or certificate holder or sending fulfillment 4250 materials by postal mail or electronic means to the policyholder or certificate holder. 4251 (4) The travel insurance company shall disclose in the policy documentation and 4252 fulfillment materials whether the travel insurance is primary or secondary to other applicable 4253 coverage. 4254 (5) Where travel insurance is marketed directly to a consumer through an insurer’s 4255 website or by others through an aggregator site, it shall not be an unfair trade practice or other 4256 violation of law if an accurate summary or short description of coverage is provided on the web 4257 page; provided, that the consumer shall have access to the full provisions of the policy through 4258 electronic means. 4259 (d) No person offering, soliciting or negotiating travel insurance or travel protection plans 4260 on an individual or group basis shall do so by using negative option or opt out, which would 4261 require a consumer to take an affirmative action to deselect coverage, such as unchecking a box 4262 on an electronic form, when the consumer purchases a trip. 4263 (e) It shall be an unfair trade practice to market blanket travel insurance coverage as free. 199 of 225 4264 (f) Where a consumer’s destination jurisdiction requires insurance coverage, it shall not 4265 be an unfair trade practice to require that a consumer choose between the following options as a 4266 condition of purchasing a trip or travel package: (i) purchasing the coverage required by the 4267 destination jurisdiction through the travel retailer or limited lines travel insurance producer 4268 supplying the trip or travel package; or (ii) agreeing to obtain and provide proof of coverage that 4269 meets the destination jurisdiction’s requirements prior to departure. 4270 Section 6. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, no person shall act or 4271 represent itself as a travel administrator for travel insurance in this state unless that person is a: 4272 (i) licensed property and casualty insurance producer in this state for activities permitted under 4273 that producer license; (ii) managing general agent in the commonwealth; or (iii) third-party 4274 administrator in the commonwealth. 4275 (b) An insurer shall be responsible for the acts of a travel administrator administering 4276 travel insurance underwritten by the insurer and shall be responsible for ensuring that the travel 4277 administrator maintains all books and records relevant to the insurer to be made available by the 4278 travel administrator to the commissioner upon request. 4279 Section 7. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, travel insurance shall 4280 be classified and filed for purposes of rates and forms under an inland marine line of insurance; 4281 provided, however, that travel insurance that provides coverage for sickness, accident, disability 4282 or death occurring during travel, either exclusively, or in conjunction with related coverages of 4283 emergency evacuation or repatriation of remains, or incidental limited property and casualty 4284 benefits such as baggage or trip cancellation, may be filed under either an accident and health 4285 line of insurance or an inland marine line of insurance. 200 of 225 4286 (b) Eligibility and underwriting standards for travel insurance may be developed and 4287 provided based on travel protection plans designed for individual or identified marketing or 4288 distribution channels; provided, that said standards shall meet the state’s underwriting standards 4289 for inland marine. 4290 Section 8. The commissioner may promulgate regulations to implement this chapter. 4291 SECTION 133AA 3/4. Section 1 of chapter 176J of the General Laws, as appearing in 4292 the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the definition of “Health benefit 4293 plan” and inserting in place thereof the following definition:- 4294 “Health benefit plan”, any individual, general, blanket or group policy of health, accident 4295 and sickness insurance issued by an insurer licensed under chapter 175; an individual or group 4296 hospital service plan issued by a non-profit hospital service corporation under chapter 176A; an 4297 individual or group medical service plan issued by a nonprofit medical service corporation under 4298 chapter 176B; and an individual or group health maintenance contract issued by a health 4299 maintenance organization under chapter 176G. Health benefit plans shall not include: accident 4300 only, credit only, limited scope vision or dental benefits if offered separately; hospital indemnity 4301 insurance policies that provide a benefit to be paid to an insured or a dependent, including the 4302 spouse of an insured, on the basis of a hospitalization of the insured or a dependent, that are sold 4303 as a supplement and not as a substitute for a health benefit plan and that meet any requirements 4304 set by the commissioner by regulation; disability income insurance; coverage issued as a 4305 supplement to liability insurance; specified disease insurance that is purchased as a supplement 4306 and not as a substitute for a health plan and meets any requirements the commissioner by 4307 regulation may set; insurance arising out of a workers’ compensation law or similar law; 201 of 225 4308 automobile medical payment insurance; insurance under which benefits are payable with or 4309 without regard to fault and which is statutorily required to be contained in a liability insurance 4310 policy or equivalent self insurance; long-term care if offered separately; coverage supplemental 4311 to the coverage provided under 10 U.S.C. 55 if offered as a separate insurance policy; or any 4312 policy subject to chapter 176K or any similar policies issued on a group basis, Medicare 4313 Advantage plans or Medicare Prescription drug plans. A health plan issued, renewed or delivered 4314 within or without the commonwealth to an individual who is enrolled in a qualifying student 4315 health insurance program under section 18 of chapter 15A shall not be considered a health plan 4316 for the purposes of this chapter and shall be governed by said chapter 15A. The commissioner 4317 may by regulation define other health coverage as a health benefit plan for the purposes of this 4318 chapter. 4319 SECTION 133B. Section 1 of chapter 80 of the acts of 1929 is hereby amended by 4320 striking out the third paragraph, as appearing in section 1 of chapter 477 of the acts of 1989, and 4321 inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:- 4322 Beginning at point L in latitude sixteen thousand four hundred twenty-eight and sixteen 4323 one hundredths feet north and longitude four thousand five hundred thirty-four and seven one 4324 hundredths feet west, said point L being the most northerly point of the harbor line hereby 4325 established on the westerly side of Acushnet river, being located north four degrees, twenty-one 4326 minutes, fifty-five seconds east, true bearing, three hundred sixty-three and fifty-eight one 4327 hundredths feet from Mark 10 on the Manomet mill property in the city of New Bedford; thence 4328 south five degrees, twenty minutes, thirty-three seconds east, true bearing, three thousand seven 4329 hundred fifteen and three tenths feet to point M in latitude twelve thousand seven hundred 4330 twenty-nine feet north and longitude four thousand one hundred eighty-eight and fourteen one 202 of 225 4331 hundredths feet west, said point M being located north seventy-six degrees, forty-two minutes, 4332 fifty-seven seconds east, true bearing, one thousand seven hundred thirteen and forty-seven one 4333 hundredths feet from a stone monument at the southeasterly corner of Belleville avenue and 4334 Sawyer street in the city of New Bedford; thence south thirty-four minutes, two seconds west, 4335 true bearing, one thousand one hundred forty-four and eighty-eight one hundredths feet to point 4336 N in latitude eleven thousand five hundred eighty-four and seventeen one hundredths feet north 4337 and longitude four thousand one hundred ninety-nine and forty-eight one hundredths feet west, 4338 said point N being located south two degrees, thirty-two minutes, forty-nine seconds east, true 4339 bearing, fifty-nine and forty-eight one hundredths feet from Mark 11 on the Coggeshall street 4340 bridge near the city of New Bedford end; thence south twenty-seven degrees, thirteen minutes, 4341 eight seconds west, true bearing, one thousand one hundred two and seven one hundredths feet to 4342 point O in latitude ten thousand six hundred four and fifteen one hundredths feet north and 4343 longitude four thousand seven hundred three and fifty-five one hundredths feet west, said point O 4344 being located south twenty degrees, fifty-one minutes, sixteen seconds east, true bearing, two 4345 hundred eighty-five and seven one hundredths feet from Mark 12 at the easterly end of 4346 Washburn street in the city of New Bedford; thence south twelve degrees, sixteen minutes, 4347 twenty-nine seconds west, true bearing, one thousand five hundred fifty-three and forty-six one 4348 hundredths feet to point P1 in latitude nine thousand eighty-six and twenty one hundredths feet 4349 north and longitude five thousand thirty-three and eighty-two one hundredths feet west, said 4350 point P1 being located north eighty-three degrees, one minute, fifty-seven seconds east, true 4351 bearing, three hundred twenty-two and ninety one hundredths feet from Mark 13 near the 4352 southeasterly corner of Wamsutta wharf in the city of New Bedford; thence south three degrees, 4353 forty-six minutes, fifty seconds west, true bearing, three thousand ninety-eight and seventy-six 203 of 225 4354 one hundredths feet to point Q1 in latitude five thousand nine hundred ninety-four and eighteen 4355 one hundredths feet north and longitude five thousand two hundred thirty-eight and thirteen one 4356 hundredths feet west, said point Q1 being located north seventy-five degrees, thirty-four minutes, 4357 twenty-six seconds east, true bearing, six hundred thirty-six and fifteen one hundredths feet from 4358 a stone monument, at the intersection of the southerly line of Hillman street, extended easterly, 4359 and the westerly line of North Water street extended northerly, in the city of New Bedford; 4360 thence south three degrees, fifteen minutes, forty-four seconds east, true bearing, five hundred 4361 forty-seven and twelve one hundredths feet to point R1 in latitude five thousand four hundred 4362 forty-seven and ninety-five one hundredths feet north and longitude five thousand two hundred 4363 seven feet west, said point R1 being located south eighty-two degrees, nine minutes, twenty 4364 seconds east, true bearing, six hundred eleven and ninety-four one hundredths feet from a stone 4365 monument at the southwest corner of North street and North Water street in the city of New 4366 Bedford; thence south thirteen degrees, forty-five minutes, thirteen seconds east, true bearing, 4367 four hundred forty-eight and seven one hundredths feet to point S in latitude five thousand 4368 twelve and seventy-three one hundredths feet north and longitude five thousand one hundred and 4369 forty-seven one hundredths feet west, said point S being located north seventy-seven degrees, 4370 twenty-eight minutes, twenty-one seconds east, true bearing, fifteen and forty-four one 4371 hundredths feet from Mark 14 on the southerly side of the New Bedford and Fairhaven bridge 4372 near the city of New Bedford end; thence south nine degrees, thirty-seven minutes, fifty-six 4373 seconds east, true bearing, three hundred fifteen and ten one hundredths feet to point T1 in 4374 latitude four thousand seven hundred two and seven one hundredths feet north and longitude five 4375 thousand forty-seven and seventy-five one hundredths feet west, said point T1 being located 4376 north eighty degrees, twenty minutes, forty-six seconds east, true bearing, twenty-eight and three 204 of 225 4377 one hundredths feet from Mark 15 near the southeasterly corner of Union street railway wharf in 4378 the city of New Bedford; thence south forty-eight degrees, fifty-nine minutes, forty-one seconds 4379 east, true bearing, nine hundred sixty-one and thirty-one one hundredths feet to point U1 in 4380 latitude four thousand seventy-one and thirty-two one hundredths feet north and longitude four 4381 thousand three hundred twenty-two and twenty-nine one hundredths feet west, said point U1 4382 being located south sixty-five degrees, fifty-eight minutes, forty-four seconds east, true bearing, 4383 ninety-four and twenty-five one hundredths feet from Mark 16 near the northwesterly corner of 4384 the state pier in the city of New Bedford; thence south fourteen degrees, three minutes, ten 4385 seconds east, true bearing, four thousand three hundred four and five one hundredths feet to point 4386 V1A in latitude one hundred three and ninety-one one hundredths feet south and longitude three 4387 thousand two hundred seventy-seven and twenty-one one hundredths feet west, said point V1A 4388 being located south fifty-two degrees, three minutes, thirty-one seconds west, true bearing, three 4389 thousand two hundred sixty-four and twenty-four one hundredths feet from Mark 2 on the 4390 southwesterly corner of Atlas Tack Company’s wharf in the town of Fairhaven; thence north 4391 thirty-one degrees, fifty minutes, one second east, true bearing, two thousand one hundred 4392 eighty-one and forty one hundredths feet to point V2 in latitude one thousand seven hundred 4393 forty-nine and thirty-seven hundredths feet north and longitude two thousand one hundred 4394 twenty-six and sixty-two hundreds feet west, said point V2 south eighty-three degrees, twenty- 4395 two minutes, fifty-six seconds west, true bearing, one thousand four hundred forty-eight and 4396 fifteen hundredths feet from said Mark 2 on the southwesterly corner of Atlas Tack Company’s 4397 wharf in the town of Fairhaven; thence south twenty-eight degrees, fourteen minutes, five 4398 seconds east, true bearing, two thousand six hundred forty-seven and seventy-eight hundredths 4399 feet to point V3 in latitude five hundred eighty-three and thirty-six hundredths feet south and 205 of 225 4400 longitude eight hundred seventy-three and ninety-nine hundredths feet west, said point V3 being 4401 located south four degrees, fourteen minutes, nine seconds west, true bearing, two thousand five 4402 hundred six and fifty-four hundredths feet from said Mark 2 on the southwesterly corner of Atlas 4403 Tack Company’s wharf in the town of Fairhaven. Point V3 being the southerly end of the harbor 4404 line is hereby established on the easterly side of New Bedford Harbor. 4405

SECTION 134. Section 7A of chapter 271 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 4406 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 140 and 141, the words “three 4407 bazaars in any single calendar year nor shall such organization conduct more than”. 4408

SECTION 135. Item 7002-1509 of section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024 is hereby 4409 amended by adding the following words:- or other similar visa programs. 4410 SECTION 135A. Section 52 of chapter 206 of the acts of 2024 is hereby amended by 4411 adding the following subsection:- 4412 (f)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (c) and any other general or special law to the contrary, 4413 prior to the proposal process authorized pursuant to subsection (c) for Veterans Memorial skating 4414 rink in the town of Arlington, Flynn Memorial rink in the city of Medford, LoConte Memorial 4415 rink in the city of Medford and Veterans Memorial rink in the city of Waltham, the 4416 commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance, in consultation with the department 4417 of conservation and recreation, shall notify the city or town where the rink is located, in writing, 4418 of its intent to lease the property. 4419 (2) The commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance, in consultation with 4420 the department of conservation and recreation, shall, in the notice pursuant to paragraph (1), 4421 offer to lease and enter into other agreements with the relevant city or town pursuant to 206 of 225 4422 paragraph (1) under terms and conditions that the commissioner of capital asset management and 4423 maintenance, in consultation with the department of conservation and recreation, consider 4424 appropriate, including, but not limited to, rent and other consideration. 4425 (3) Not later than 30 days after the date of the commissioner’s written notice, pursuant to 4426 paragraph (1), the city or town shall submit to the commissioner of capital asset management and 4427 maintenance and the department of conservation and recreation its intent to enter into a lease 4428 agreement. 4429 (4) If the city or town pursuant to paragraph (1) submits written notice of its intent to 4430 enter into a lease agreement, the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance, in 4431 consultation with the department of conservation and recreation, shall promptly commence 4432 negotiations of the lease and other agreements for the use, operation, maintenance, repair and 4433 improvement of the state-owned ice skating rink and facility. 4434 (5) Any lease pursuant to this subsection shall be for a term not to exceed 30 years and 4435 shall include: (i) reservation policies; (ii) proposed reasonable rates that ensure continued public 4436 access; (iii) required financial audits; (iv) policies to encourage the use of the ice skating rink by 4437 persons of all races and nationalities; (v) safety and security plans; (vi) seasonal opening and 4438 closing dates; (vii) hours of operation; and (viii) how the operator will ensure that ice time at the 4439 ice skating rink shall be allocated to user groups in the following order of priority: (A) general 4440 public skating and nonprofit youth groups; (B) school hockey and for-profit youth groups; and 4441 (C) adult organizations or informal groups. Ice time may be allocated at the discretion of the 4442 operator; provided, however, that general public skating shall be booked in 2-hour continuous 207 of 225 4443 blocks at a minimum of 12 hours per week, with a range of times and days that reasonably allow 4444 for public skaters of all ages to participate in public skating sessions. 4445

SECTION 136. Section 3 of chapter 214 of the acts of 2024 is hereby amended by 4446 striking out the figure “2026” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- 2029. 4447 SECTION 137. Said section 3 of said chapter 214 is hereby further amended by inserting 4448 after the word “Matching” the following words:- , Fiscal Resilience. 4449 SECTION 138. Section 4 of said chapter 214 is hereby further amended by inserting after 4450 the word “Matching” the following words:- , Fiscal Resilience. 4451

SECTION 139. Said chapter 214 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 4 4452 the following section:- 4453 SECTION 4A. Notwithstanding section 2EEEEEE of chapter 29 of the General Laws or 4454 any other general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and finance shall 4455 expend $200,000,000 from the Commonwealth Federal Matching, Fiscal Resilience and Debt 4456 Reduction Fund established in said section 2EEEEEE of said chapter 29, in consultation with the 4457 executive office of education, the executive office of labor and workforce development and the 4458 executive office of economic development, as a bridge funding reserve to support institutions of 4459 higher education in the commonwealth; provided, that $175,000,000 shall be expended to 4460 support public institutions of higher education in the commonwealth; provided further, that 4461 $25,000,000 shall be expended to support private institutions of higher education in the 4462 commonwealth that are nonprofit organizations; provided further, that said funds shall enable 4463 public and private institutions of higher education in the commonwealth to adapt to federal 4464 funding uncertainty, loss or diminishment of federal research funding, to encourage advancement 208 of 225 4465 of scientific research, enhance employment opportunities and talent development and to enable 4466 participation in partnerships and joint ventures related to research and innovation; provided 4467 further, that said amounts may be used as flexible funding support for public and private 4468 institutions of higher education in the commonwealth to fund direct and indirect costs of 4469 research, to retain talent and preserve the pace of scientific discovery in the commonwealth; 4470 provided further, that said amounts may be used as a talent retention and extension reserve to 4471 fund positions in research and teaching, including graduate, post doctorate and other early career 4472 research professionals that would otherwise be unfunded due to reductions in federal indirect 4473 rates, to build a bridge to future funding levels and sources; provided further, that said amounts 4474 may be used to fund research opportunities, partnerships and joint ventures to support research 4475 activity, employment and advance innovation and opportunity in the commonwealth, including 4476 considerations of regional impact and geographic equity, including, but not limited to, 4477 opportunities related to advanced manufacturing and technology, agricultural science and 4478 technology, bioengineering and life sciences, civil engineering and advanced construction 4479 materials, climate and environmental science, ecology, education and child development, 4480 electronics, energy, fisheries and wildlife science and management, forestry science and 4481 management, marine science and technology, medical science and technology, meteorology and 4482 atmospheric science, nursing science, public health and applied health sciences, and robotics; 4483 provided further, that the executive office for administration and finance shall submit quarterly 4484 reports to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the house and senate 4485 committees on ways and means detailing expenditures under this section and said sums shall be 4486 made available through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028; and provided further, that the 209 of 225 4487 executive office for administration and finance may transfer any funds available under this 4488 section as necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. 4489 SECTION 139A. (a) Notwithstanding section 4 of chapter 128C of the General Laws, 4490 section 11 of chapter 494 of the acts of 1978 or any other general or special law to the contrary, 4491 the running horse racing licensee in Suffolk county that conducted simulcasting as of December 4492 31, 2020 shall not be obligated to make any further payments into the Running Horse 4493 Promotional Trust Fund, established pursuant to said section 11 of said chapter 494. 4494 (b) All amounts in the Running Horse Promotional Trust Fund and in the Running Horse Capital 4495 Improvements Trust Fund, established pursuant to section 11 of chapter 494 of the acts of 1978, 4496 attributable to the running horse racing licensee in Suffolk county that conducted simulcasting as 4497 of December 31, 2020 shall be returned by the Massachusetts gaming commission to said 4498 licensee without further condition. 4499 SECTION 139B. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, including, 4500 but not limited to, any expiration or repeal of chapter 128A or chapter 128C of the General 4501 Laws, a racing licensee under said chapter 128A who offers in-person wagering on historical 4502 horse races pursuant to section 5D of said chapter 128A, as inserted by section 129B, shall 4503 continue to be a racing licensee for purposes of said section 5D of said chapter 128A and shall be 4504 authorized to continue to offer such wagering for a minimum period of 5 years from the date it 4505 first offers such wagering. Such authorization of any such licensee shall be automatically 4506 extended for successive 5-year periods; provided, that at the end of any 5-year period, the 4507 licensee shall be in good standing and in compliance with said section 5D of said chapter 128A 210 of 225 4508 and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Massachusetts gaming commission pursuant 4509 thereto. 4510

SECTION 140. Item 7002-1522 of section 2 of chapter 238 of the acts of 2024 is hereby 4511 amended by striking out the words “technologies developed with the assistance of” and inserting 4512 in place thereof the following words:- technologies, with preference for companies receiving. 4513 SECTION 141. Item 7002-1523 of said section 2 of said chapter 238 is hereby amended 4514 by striking out the words “proteins developed with the assistance of” and inserting in place 4515 thereof the following words:- proteins, with preference for companies receiving. 4516 SECTION 141A. Subsection (a) of section 280 of said chapter 238 is hereby amended by 4517 striking out the definition of “Tolling period” and inserting in place thereof the following 4518 definition:- 4519 “Tolling period”, the period from January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2027, inclusive. 4520 SECTION 141B. Paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of said section 280 of said chapter 238 4521 is hereby amended by striking out the words “2 years” and inserting in place thereof the 4522 following words:- 4 years. 4523

SECTION 142. Said chapter 238 is hereby further amended by striking out section 320 4524 and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 4525 SECTION 320. Subsection (ii) of section 6 of chapter 62 of the General Laws, inserted 4526 by section 194, and section 38UU of chapter 63 of the General Laws, inserted by section 212, 4527 shall take effect for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027. 211 of 225 4528 SECTION 143. Said chapter 238 is hereby further amended by striking out section 324 4529 and inserting in place thereof the following section:- 4530 SECTION 324. Section 316 shall take effect on January 1, 2033. 4531

SECTION 144. Section 97 of chapter 14 of the acts of 2025 is hereby amended by 4532 striking out the words “January 1, 2026” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- 4533 September 1, 2027. 4534 SECTION 1441/2. Section 2A of chapter 101 of the acts of 2026 is hereby amended by 4535 striking out item 1599-8999 and inserting in place thereof the following item:- 4536 1599-8999 For a transfer to the Transition Age Youth Services Matching Fund established in 4537 section 2QQQQQQ of chapter 29 of the General Laws……..…….$1,000,000 4538 SECTION 144A. (a) Notwithstanding sections 32 to 37, inclusive, of chapter 7C of the 4539 General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, the commissioner of the 4540 division of capital asset management and maintenance, on behalf of and in consultation with the 4541 board of trustees of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, may lease, as tenant, real property 4542 comprising not less than 200,000 rentable square feet for the establishment and operation of a 4543 maritime workforce and education campus within a maritime industrial operating environment. 4544 (b) The premises leased pursuant to this section shall: (i) be located within a designated 4545 port area established pursuant to chapter 91 of the General Laws; (ii) have direct frontage on, and 4546 access to, deep water navigable by oceangoing vessels; and (iii) include, or be served by, a 4547 graving dock in excess of 1,000 linear feet in length. 212 of 225 4548 (c) The commissioner may enter into such lease for a term, including any extensions, not 4549 to exceed 50 years. The premises shall be used for the educational, training, research, workforce 4550 development and related purposes of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and for other uses 4551 reasonably related thereto. The lease shall contain such terms and conditions, including as to 4552 consideration, as determined by the commissioner, in consultation with the board of trustees of 4553 the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The commissioner may take such actions as are necessary 4554 or convenient to carry out this section without further compliance with the advertisement, 4555 proposal and competitive selection requirements otherwise applicable to the acquisition of real 4556 property by rental for the use of a state agency. 4557

SECTION 145. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the members 4558 serving on the advisory board on employee ownership appointed by the governor pursuant to 4559 subsection (a) of section 204 of chapter 6, amended by section 3, on the effective date of this act 4560 shall continue to serve for the remainder of their current terms as originally appointed. Upon the 4561 expiration of the terms of such members, the governor shall appoint 2 members to serve for a 4562 term of 1 year, 3 members to serve a term of 2 years, 3 members to serve a term of 3 years and 3 4563 members to serve for a term of 4 years. Upon the expiration of such terms, the governor shall 4564 appoint all members to serve a term of 4 years. 4565

SECTION 146. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any 4566 unexpended funds held by the Massachusetts Alternative and Clean Energy Investment Trust 4567 Fund established in section 35FF of chapter 10 of the General Laws and the Renewable Energy 4568 Trust Fund established in section 9 of chapter 23J of the General Laws shall transfer to the 4569 Climatetech Investment Fund established in section 15 of chapter 23J of the General Laws. 213 of 225 4570 SECTION 146A. The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency shall study the Local 4571 Infrastructure Development Program established pursuant to chapter 23L of the General Laws 4572 and render recommendations for how to increase the utilization and effectiveness of the program 4573 for municipal infrastructure investments. The report shall include recommendations for including 4574 a pay-as-you-go infrastructure investment model and other forms of public-private partnerships, 4575 with particular consideration of empowering municipal governments to support new growth, job 4576 creation, housing development and how to attract private investment. The report shall be 4577 submitted to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the chairs of the joint 4578 committee on economic development and the chairs of the joint committee on municipalities. 4579

SECTION 147. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, if the 4580 economic assistance coordinating council awards less than the full amount of tax credits 4581 authorized by subsection (c) of section 3D of chapter 23A of the General Laws, if the 4582 Massachusetts Life Science Center awards less than the full amount of tax credits authorized by 4583 subsection (d) of section 5 of chapter 23I of the General Laws or if the Massachusetts clean 4584 energy center awards less than the full amount of tax credits authorized by subsection (d) of 4585 section 16 of chapter 23J of the General Laws, then, in each case, the balance of unallocated tax 4586 credits and the funds budgeted to finance that balance may be carried forward to the next 4587 calendar year with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, in consultation 4588 with the secretary of economic development. 4589 (b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of 4590 administration and finance, in consultation with the secretary of economic development, shall 4591 have the discretion to reallocate some or all of the tax credits that are carried forward pursuant to 4592 subsection (a) among and between the tax credit programs established pursuant to section 3A of 214 of 225 4593 chapter 23A of the General Laws, section 5 of chapter 23I of the General Laws or section 16 of 4594 chapter 23J of the General Laws. Any credits carried forward or reallocated shall increase, for 4595 the calendar year in which the carry forward or reallocation occurs, the annual cap or limitation 4596 otherwise applicable to the receiving program by the amount of such credits carried forward or 4597 reallocated. 4598 (c) Annually, not later than March 1, the secretary of administration and finance, in 4599 consultation with the secretary of economic development, shall submit a report to the house and 4600 senate committees on ways and means setting forth the amount of tax credits, if any, carried 4601 forward and reallocated pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) in the prior calendar year. The report 4602 shall state the adjusted cap applicable to each tax credit program for the upcoming calendar year. 4603 SECTION 147A. (a) For purposes of this section, the words “attacher”, “attachments”, 4604 “department”, “double pole”, “pole” and “stakeholder” shall have the same meanings as set forth 4605 in section 34B of chapter 164 of the General Laws. 4606 (b) Not later than July 31, 2028, the department of public utilities and the department of 4607 telecommunications and cable shall establish a single visit transfer pilot program designed to 4608 expedite the removal of double poles by allowing a single qualified entity to move all 4609 participating stakeholder attachments during 1 visit rather than requiring separate visits from 4610 each attacher. The department may model the program after similar state initiatives and upon 4611 guidance from the working group established in section 34B of chapter 164 of the General Laws. 4612 The department may invite, but shall not require, stakeholders to participate in the program. 4613 (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with collective bargaining 4614 agreements governing the installation, transfer or removal of poles or attachments. 215 of 225 4615 SECTION 147B. (a) There shall be a special legislative commission established to 4616 investigate and study the feasibility of establishing a statewide Massachusetts Caribbean 4617 American cultural center in the city of Boston. 4618 (b) The commission shall investigate and study various methods for establishing a 4619 Massachusetts Caribbean American cultural center in the city of Boston, including, but not 4620 limited to, the creation of a nonprofit organization to oversee the construction and management 4621 of the Massachusetts Caribbean American cultural center. The commission shall consider the 4622 representation of the over 300-year history of Caribbeans in the commonwealth and shall 4623 evaluate the costs associated with each method. 4624 (c)(1) The commission shall consist of the following members: 4 members of the house 4625 of representatives, 3 of whom shall be of Caribbean descent or represent a district with a 4626 significant population of Caribbean people, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the 4627 house of representatives and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the house minority leader; 4 4628 members of the senate, 3 of whom shall be of Caribbean descent or represent a district with a 4629 significant population of Caribbean people, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president 4630 and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 person to be appointed by the 4631 mayor of the city of Boston; 1 person to be appointed by the governor; and not more than 20 4632 members from across the commonwealth, whose appointments shall be determined by 3 4633 members of the house of representatives and 3 members of the senate. The commission shall 4634 elect 2 co-chairs from among its members. 4635 (d) All appointments to the commission shall be made not later than June 30, 2027. 216 of 225 4636 (e) Not later than December 31, 2028, the commission shall submit its findings, including 4637 any recommendations for legislation, to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, 4638 the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the chairs of the joint 4639 committee on economic development. 4640 SECTION 147C. The executive office of health and human services shall conduct an 4641 evaluation of the impact of removal of the licensing examination requirement for licensed 4642 certified social workers under sections 131 and 132 of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as 4643 amended by sections 120I and 120K. The executive office shall contract with an independent 4644 evaluation consultant to perform the evaluation. The evaluation shall include, but shall not be 4645 limited to: (i) an analysis of the impact of removing the examination requirement on alleviating 4646 shortages of qualified social workers; (ii) review of maintaining high-quality patient care; (iii) 4647 expanding access to quality behavioral health services; (iv) increasing the diversity of the social 4648 worker workforce among diverse language skills, race, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds; and 4649 (v) the impact of any increase in diversity on patient care, particularly for vulnerable populations. 4650 In preparing the evaluation, the consultant shall meet with representatives of organizations 4651 representing social workers, social work education, social work testing, social work patients, 4652 behavioral health advocacy organizations and other groups that may assist the evaluation. The 4653 evaluation and analysis shall be conducted independently of the executive office. Not later than 4654 July 31, 2028, the executive office shall submit the evaluation to the clerks of the house of 4655 representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint 4656 committee on higher education and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and 4657 recovery. 217 of 225 4658 SECTION 147D. (a) There shall be a special commission to review any economic 4659 impacts to Cape Cod and the Islands due to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s 4660 Cape Cod Bridges program set to begin construction in 2027 to replace the Sagamore bridge. 4661 The commission shall identify ways to support the economic development of the Cape Cod and 4662 the Islands regions during the Sagamore bridge replacement, including: (i) exploring ways to 4663 improve mobility and accessibility for residents, the tourism industry and employees who 4664 typically access the Sagamore bridge to commute to work; (ii) exploring ways to ensure business 4665 success, including supporting the millions of tourists who travel to the regions each year; (iii) 4666 ensuring workforce reliability during significant construction, including identifying ways to 4667 reduce congestion and provide reliable and safe means to travel throughout the regions; (iv) 4668 supporting the lodging and hospitality industries to ensure access to the regions; (v) attracting 4669 seasonal workforce during the planned construction; (vi) identifying alternative means of 4670 transportation, including, but not limited to, ferry services, trains and buses; (vii) identifying cost 4671 saving measures for deliveries, transportation, freight and other transport required to Cape Cod 4672 and the Islands during the construction; and (viii) supporting the arts and cultural sectors during 4673 the construction. 4674 (b) The commission shall consist of the following members: the executive director of the 4675 Massachusetts office of travel and tourism; 1 representative of the Cape Cod Chamber of 4676 Commerce; 1 representative from the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce, 1 representative 4677 from the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce; 1 representative from the Steamship 4678 Authority; the chairs of the joint committee on tourism, arts and cultural development; 1 member 4679 of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board of directors; the Massachusetts 4680 Department of Transportation highway administrator, or their designee; the general manager of 218 of 225 4681 the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or their designee; 2 representatives from the 4682 Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority; 1 person to be appointed by the Massachusetts 4683 Association of Regional Transit Authorities; a representative from the Massachusetts Lodging 4684 Association; 5 residents of the Cape Cod and the Islands regions with a background in economic 4685 development or transportation to be appointed by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, with 3 4686 of the members being from Bourne, Wareham or Sandwich. Two co-chairs shall be elected from 4687 among the members. 4688 (c) Not later than February 1, 2027, the commission shall file a report of its study and 4689 recommendations to ensure economic success with the clerks of the house of representatives and 4690 senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on 4691 transportation, and the secretary of transportation. 4692

SECTION 148. (a) There shall be a working group on micromobility consisting of: the 4693 registrar of motor vehicles or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the administrator of the 4694 highway division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or a designee; the secretary 4695 of public safety and security or a designee; the commissioner of insurance or a designee; the 4696 commissioner of conservation and recreation or a designee; the commissioner of public health or 4697 a designee; 1 representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association who shall appointed by 4698 the secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation; 1 representative of the 4699 micromobility device industry who shall be appointed by the secretary of transportation; 1 4700 representative of a citizen advocacy group who shall be appointed by the secretary of 4701 transportation; 1 representative of the insurance industry who shall be appointed by the 4702 commissioner of insurance; 1 representative of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts who 4703 shall be appointed by the secretary of public safety and security; and 1 representative of the 219 of 225 4704 Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association who shall be appointed by the secretary of public 4705 safety and security. 4706 (b) The working group shall develop recommendations for a regulatory scheme and 4707 legislation, if necessary, for the operation of micromobility devices, as provided in the report of 4708 the special commission on micromobility dated January 2026. The working group shall make 4709 recommendations for requirements for micromobility registration or identification decal, 4710 licensure to operate, clarification of the roles of dealers and manufacturers, education, speed 4711 restrictions, signage, travel allowances, insurance requirements, fines and penalties and 4712 additional operation and safety standards and requirements for micromobility devices, including 4713 whether operators and passengers of a powered micromobility device classified as speed tier 0 4714 shall be required to wear protective headgear, regardless of age. 4715 (c) The working group shall develop a standardized form to report crashes and incidents 4716 involving a motor vehicle, a vulnerable user, as defined in section 1 of chapter 90 of the General 4717 Laws, or any micromobility device, as defined in said section 1 of said chapter 90. The 4718 standardized form shall be used by any municipal, county or state law enforcement official or 4719 emergency medical services provider who responds to a crash or incident involving a motor 4720 vehicle, a vulnerable user or any micromobility device. The corresponding report for each crash 4721 or incident shall be transmitted to the registrar of motor vehicles. The registrar of motor vehicles 4722 shall maintain a publicly accessible database of the standardized form reports; provided, 4723 however, that no personally identifying information shall be published in the database. 4724 (d) Not later than December 31, 2027, the working group shall complete its work and 4725 issue a report of its findings, recommendations and any proposed legislation to be published on 220 of 225 4726 its website and filed with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate and the joint 4727 committee on transportation. 4728 SECTION 148A. (a) Upon implementation of the Massachusetts secure choice savings 4729 program established pursuant to section 64H of chapter 29 of the General Laws, inserted by 4730 section 40 1/2, the Massachusetts secure choice savings board established pursuant to section 4731 64G of said chapter 29, inserted by said section 40 1/2, shall provide written confirmation to the 4732 department of revenue. 4733 (b) Upon receipt of the notice pursuant to subsection (a), the department of revenue shall 4734 immediately make publicly available a notice informing employers of the requirements of the 4735 Massachusetts secure choice savings program. The notice shall inform employers that rather than 4736 enrolling employees in the program, employers may sponsor an alternative plan, including, but 4737 not limited to, a defined benefit plan, a 401(k) plan, a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plan 4738 or a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) plan. 4739 (c) Notwithstanding section 64J of chapter 29 of the General Laws, inserted by section 40 4740 1/2, no penalty shall be assessed against an employer for noncompliance with section 64I of said 4741 chapter 29, inserted by said section 40 1/2, until 1 year after the department of revenue issues the 4742 notice required pursuant to subsection (b). 4743

SECTION 149. (a) Not later than 6 months after the effective date of this act, distribution 4744 companies shall file with the department of public utilities an economic development rate and 4745 guidelines for large new businesses locating to the commonwealth or large new businesses 4746 expanding in the commonwealth to seek a special contract, pursuant to section 152 of chapter 4747 164 of the General Laws, inserted by section 133. 221 of 225 4748 (b) Upon receipt of the filing required pursuant to subsection (a), the department of 4749 public utilities shall conduct a proceeding to approve, deny or modify such proposal; provided, 4750 however, that the department may only approve such proposal if it finds that the proposed 4751 economic development rate and guidance does not shift costs to or increase costs to any other 4752 utility customers in the commonwealth; and provided further, that the proposal either supports or 4753 does not hinder the achievement of the statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits 4754 under chapter 21N of the General Laws. 4755

SECTION 150. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the 4756 unexpended and unencumbered balances of the bond-funded authorizations in the following 4757 accounts shall cease to be available for expenditure 180 days after the effective date of this act: 4758 7002-8041 and 7002-8049. 4759

SECTION 151. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, to meet the 4760 expenditures necessary in carrying out section 2, the state treasurer shall, upon receipt of a 4761 request by the governor, issue and sell bonds of the commonwealth in an amount to be specified 4762 by the governor from time to time but not exceeding, in the aggregate, $425,100,000. All bonds 4763 issued by the commonwealth, as aforesaid, shall be designated on their face “An Act Relative to 4764 Massachusetts Winning Global Investment, Talent, and Innovation” and shall be issued for a 4765 maximum term of years, not exceeding 30 years, as the governor may recommend to the general 4766 court pursuant to section 3 of Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution; provided, 4767 however, that all such bonds shall be payable not later than June 30, 2061. All interest and 4768 payments on account of principal on such obligations shall be payable from the General Fund. 4769 Bonds and interest thereon issued under the authority of this section shall, notwithstanding any 4770 other provision of this act, be general obligations of the commonwealth. 222 of 225 4771

SECTION 152. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the first 4772 report required pursuant to subsection (f) of section 17 of chapter 23J of the General Laws, 4773 inserted by section 31, shall be due not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act. 4774 SECTION 152A. The regulations required under subsection (g) of section 8O of chapter 4775 90 of the General Laws, inserted by section 107A, shall be promulgated within 270 days after 4776 passage of this act. 4777 SECTION 153. Not later than 270 days after the effective date of this act, each electric 4778 company shall submit to the gridtech deployment advisory board established in section 17 of 4779 chapter 23J, inserted by section 31, the processes the electric company plans to implement to 4780 address gridtech deployment barriers internal to the electric company. 4781

SECTION 154. Not later than 270 days after the effective date of this act, the gridtech 4782 deployment advisory board established in section 17 of chapter 23J, inserted by section 31, shall 4783 develop and vote to file with the department of public utilities a process for the department to 4784 review, on an expedited basis, requests for limited waivers of prior department orders to alleviate 4785 gridtech deployment barriers. Such process shall be limited to reviewing waivers of prior 4786 department orders that are time-bound and finite in scope. 4787 SECTION 154A. Not later than October 1, 2026, the executive office of health and 4788 human services shall submit proposals to the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services 4789 pursuant to subsection (b) of section 67B of chapter 118E of the General Laws, inserted by 4790 section 121A, as necessary to make supplemental payments for public ambulance services that 4791 make an intergovernmental transfer. 223 of 225 4792 SECTION 154B. Not later than December 1, 2026, the Massachusetts gaming 4793 commission shall promulgate regulations to implement historical horse racing as authorized by 4794 section 5D of chapter 128A of the General Laws, as inserted by section 129B. Notwithstanding 4795 section 9B of said chapter 128A or any other general or special law to the contrary, such 4796 regulations shall take immediate effect upon promulgation on an interim basis pending 4797 completion of the process set forth in said section 9B. 4798

SECTION 155. Not later than December 31, 2026, the executive office for administration 4799 and finance shall update regulations to effectuate and implement sections 86 to 97, inclusive, of 4800 chapter 150 of the acts of 2024. 4801 SECTION 156. Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act, the commissioner 4802 of public health shall promulgate regulations as required by section 250 of chapter 111 of the 4803 General Laws, inserted by section 110. 4804

SECTION 157. Not later than 1 year after the effective date of this act, the executive 4805 office of housing and livable communities shall implement the training program in section 37 of 4806 chapter 23B of the General Laws, inserted by section 8. 4807 SECTION 157A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, not later 4808 than December 31, 2032, the secretary of economic development shall conduct an economic 4809 impact study of video game development in the commonwealth and shall issue a report together 4810 with any recommendations. Annually, not later than December 31, the secretary shall file an 4811 economic report of all motion picture production activity in the commonwealth that receives a 4812 tax credit certificate pursuant to subsection (ll) of section 6 of chapter 62 of the General Laws 4813 and section 38XX of chapter 63 of the General Laws. Annually, not later than December 31, the 224 of 225 4814 secretary shall file said report with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the 4815 house and senate committees on ways and means and with the joint committee on economic 4816 development and emerging technologies. 4817 SECTION 157B. Not later than December 31, 2032, the department of revenue shall file 4818 a report with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate 4819 committees on ways and means, the joint committee on revenue and the joint committee on 4820 economic development and emerging technologies detailing: (i) the amount of tax credit 4821 certificates issued to taxpayers established pursuant to subsection (ll) of section 6 of chapter 62 4822 of the General Laws, section 38XX of chapter 63 of the General Laws and subsection (bbb) of 4823 section 6 of chapter 64H of the General Laws; (ii) the cost to the commonwealth of said tax 4824 credits; and (iii) the number of jobs created in Massachusetts as a result of the tax credits. 4825 SECTION 157C. Sections 130G and 130H shall take effect upon enactment. 4826 SECTION 157D. Section 133A 1/4 shall take effect 180 days following enactment. 4827

SECTION 158. Section 7 shall take effect on January 1, 2028. 4828 SECTION 159. Sections 42, 45 to 47, inclusive, 49 to 51, inclusive, 60, 62, 71 and 74 4829 shall take effect on July 1, 2027. 4830 SECTION 160. Sections 41 and 48 shall take effect for all municipalities upon the 4831 effective date of this act; provided, however, that for municipalities that adopted a zoning 4832 ordinance or by-law requiring some form of site plan review prior to the effective date of this act, 4833 sections 41 and 48 shall not be effective with respect to such zoning ordinance or by-law until 1 4834 year after the effective date of this act. 225 of 225 4835 SECTION 160A. Sections 120I and 120K shall take effect on January 1, 2027. 4836 SECTION 161. Section 134 shall take effect on January 1, 2027. 4837 SECTION 162. Sections 96, 101, 104, 105 and 107 to 109, inclusive, shall take effect on 4838 January 1, 2028. 4839 SECTION 162A. Sections 120J and 120L shall take effect on December 31, 2030. 4840 SECTION 162B. Section 109E shall take effect 5 years after the effective date of this act. 4841

SECTION 163. Sections 91 to 95, inclusive, 97 to 100, inclusive, 102, 103 and 106 shall 4842 take effect 90 days after the effective date of this act. 4843 SECTION 164. Sections 43, 61, 72 and 75 shall take effect on September 1, 2031. 4844 SECTION 165. Section 107A shall take effect 270 days after passage of this act.

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