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H3465 • 2025

An Act promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water

An Act promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water

Energy Land
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Mike Connolly
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5325
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water

An Act promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 3465) of Mike Connolly relative to promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water under the zoning law.
  • Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5325

  2. 2025-12-04 House

    Reporting date extended to Wednesday, March 18, 2026

  3. 2025-09-25 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 09/25/2025 from 01:00 PM-04:30 PM in A-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  4. 2025-09-15 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/25/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water
By Representative Connolly of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3465) of Mike Connolly relative to promoting the adoption of renewable energy for heating, cooling and hot water under the zoning law. Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.3465

SECTION 1. Chapter 40A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 3 the following new subsection:- No zoning ordinance or by-law shall prohibit or unreasonably regulate the installation of alternative and renewable energy systems for electricity, heating, cooling or hot water or the building of structures that facilitate the use of alternative and renewable energy systems for electricity, heating, cooling or hot water, except where necessary to protect the public health, safety or welfare.

Chapter 40A of the General Laws is hereby further amended by adding the following new subsection:- A municipality may require any person or entity that applies for a permit to build a new structure or for renovation of a portion of a building that is equal to or greater than 50 per cent of the building area or to replace a pre-existing structure to include as part of the application for planning board approval, if applicable, and otherwise for a building permit a plan that uses alternative and renewable energy sources and an analysis of the feasibility and cost of installing such a system compared with a fossil fueled energy system.

SECTION 2. Section 23C of Chapter 184 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the words “use of” the following: (i) Section 23C of Chapter 184 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “solar energy” the following: , or (ii) an alternative or renewable energy system, powered in whole or in part by the sun, wind, water, biomass, alcohol, or any renewable, non-depletable or recyclable fuel.

SECTION 3. Section 45B of Chapter 59 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph at the end:-Any heat pump system being utilized as a primary or auxiliary power system for the purpose of heating or otherwise supplying the energy needs of property taxable under this chapter; provided, however, that such exemption shall be allowed only for a period of twenty years from the date of the installation of such system or device.

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