Massachusetts H 1014: An Act establishing a climate change superfund

Bill Text

1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3369 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1014

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Steven Owens and Jack Patrick Lewis
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act establishing a climate change superfund.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Steven Owens 29th Middlesex 1/17/2025
Danillo A. Sena 37th Middlesex 2/4/2025
Carmine Lawrence Gentile 13th Middlesex 2/7/2025
Samantha Montaño 15th Suffolk 2/7/2025
Rodney M. Elliott 16th Middlesex 2/7/2025
Erika Uyterhoeven 27th Middlesex 2/7/2025
Mike Connolly 26th Middlesex 2/9/2025
Tara T. Hong 18th Middlesex 2/11/2025
Lindsay N. Sabadosa 1st Hampshire 2/11/2025
David Paul Linsky 5th Middlesex 2/11/2025
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf 17th Worcester 7/7/2025
James C. Arena-DeRosa 8th Middlesex 2/20/2025
Jennifer Balinsky Armini 8th Essex 3/13/2025
Michelle L. Ciccolo 15th Middlesex 5/22/2025
Manny Cruz 7th Essex 3/10/2025
Marjorie C. Decker 25th Middlesex 3/14/2025
Kate Donaghue 19th Worcester 4/18/2025
Sean Garballey 23rd Middlesex 5/5/2025

2 of 2
Natalie M. Higgins 4th Worcester 3/16/2025
Kristin E. Kassner 2nd Essex 10/14/2025
Frank A. Moran 17th Essex 4/10/2025
David M. Rogers 24th Middlesex 6/11/2025
Margaret R. Scarsdale 1st Middlesex 3/18/2025
Tommy Vitolo 15th Norfolk 4/7/2025
Mindy Domb 3rd Hampshire 2/12/2025
Chynah Tyler 7th Suffolk 2/18/2025
Paul McMurtry 11th Norfolk 2/25/2025
Patricia A. Duffy 5th Hampden 3/13/2025
Christopher J. Worrell 5th Suffolk 3/14/2025
Aaron L. Saunders 7th Hampden 3/18/2025
Priscila S. Sousa 6th Middlesex 3/24/2025
John Francis Moran 9th Suffolk 4/2/2025
Amy Mah Sangiolo 11th Middlesex 4/4/2025
Adrianne Pusateri Ramos 14th Essex 4/8/2025
Homar Gómez 2nd Hampshire 4/10/2025
Rob Consalvo 14th Suffolk 4/11/2025
Leigh Davis 3rd Berkshire 4/13/2025
William F. MacGregor 10th Suffolk 4/14/2025
Adrian C. Madaro 1st Suffolk 4/23/2025
Adam J. Scanlon 14th Bristol 5/6/2025
Vanna Howard 17th Middlesex 5/8/2025
Greg Schwartz 12th Middlesex 5/21/2025
Thomas W. Moakley Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket 6/6/2025
Natalie M. Blais 1st Franklin 6/9/2025
Kevin G. Honan 17th Suffolk 6/9/2025
James Arciero 2nd Middlesex 6/16/2025
Sean Reid 11th Essex 9/24/2025
Tricia Farley-Bouvier 2nd Berkshire 9/26/2025
Steven J. Ouellette 8th Bristol 10/15/2025
John J. Lawn, Jr. 10th Middlesex 10/27/2025
Hannah Bowen 6th Essex 11/12/2025
Tram T. Nguyen 18th Essex 1/21/2026

1 of 16
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3369 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1014
By Representatives Owens of Watertown and Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1014) of Steven Owens, Danillo A. Sena and others for legislation to finance
climate adaptation projects. Environment and Natural Resources.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________

An Act establishing a climate change superfund.

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. The General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after Chapter 21O the
2 following chapter:
3 CHAPTER 21P
4 CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION COST RECOVERY ACT
5 Section 1. Definitions.
6 For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings
7 unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
8 "Applicable payment date", July first of the calendar year following the year in which this
9 chapter is enacted into law.

2 of 16
10 "Climate change adaptation project", a project designed to avoid, moderate, repair or
11 adapt to negative impacts of climate change or to assist communities, households and businesses
12 in preparing for future climate change-driven disruptions. Such projects may include but are not
13 limited to upgrading storm water drainage systems; making defensive upgrades to roads, bridges,
14 subways, and transit systems; preparing for and recovering from hurricanes, drought, heat waves,
15 blizzards, severe storms, wildfires, flooding and other extreme weather events; implementing
16 nature-based solutions for coastal and flood protections and otherwise; undertaking preventive
17 health care programs and providing medical care to treat illness or injury caused or aggravated
18 by the effects of climate change; relocating, elevating, or retrofitting sewage treatment plants
19 vulnerable to flooding; installing energy efficient cooling systems and other weatherization and
20 energy efficiency upgrades and retrofits in public and private buildings, including schools and
21 public housing; upgrading parts of the electrical grid to increase stability and resilience,
22 including supporting the creation