(BOSTON) – State Representative Joan Meschino (D-Hull) will continue to pursue a robust climate-focused legislative agenda that builds upon the environmental wins of the 192nd Legislative Session.
Representative Meschino’s foremost piece of environmental legislation this term is HD.3005, An Act creating a climate bank in Massachusetts. This work builds on Representative Meschino’s signature piece of climate legislation, The 2050 Roadmap, enacted in 2021 as the cornerstone of An Act creating a next-generation roadmap for Massachusetts climate policy.
A climate bank or “green” bank develops innovative financing to accelerate clean energy adoption and to drive the shift to decarbonize the economy. The bill, which would place the state’s climate bank under the scope of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, has yet to be assigned to a specific committee for review.
“The creation of a statewide climate bank aims to provide financial resources to Massachusetts citizens looking to undertake projects designed to mitigate climate change and improve energy efficiency,” said Representative Meschino (D-Hull). “This legislation would create resources dedicated to this work, which will reduce energy costs in the long term and improve resiliency for homes and buildings throughout the Commonwealth.”
Other bills filed by Representative Meschino in the energy and environment space seek to decarbonize buildings and energy production (H.3192), promote the transition to zero-emission public vehicle fleets (H.3139), standardize the Commonwealth’s approach to drought management (H.861), support solar development across the state (HD.4198), and advance environmental justice by empowering individuals to seek redress against discrimination (H.1677). Most of these bills were filed by Representative Meschino in the previous 192nd Legislative Session, whereas the bill regarding solar development is a newly-filed bill in the new Legislative Session.
This week, most timely-filed bills were assigned to a subject matter committee for review and initial disposition. Representative Meschino’s building decarbonization and zero-emission fleets bills will both come before the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE), whereas the “access to justice” and drought bills will go before the Joint Committee of the Judiciary and the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, respectively. The solar development bill has yet to be assigned to a review committee.
To find information on the current status of Representative Meschino’s legislative agenda or to track specific bills and their progress through the Legislature, please visit https://malegislature.gov/ and make an account at the top right corner of the webpage.