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S 2244MASSACHUSETTSSession 194thState Billin committee
High Impact

Massachusetts Senate bill establishes low-income cooling assistance and bans hot-weather utility shutoffs

Original title: An Act promoting resilience against the heat-related impacts of climate change

Last action · February 9, 2026: Committee recommended ought to pass and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and MeansSponsor: Cynthia Creem

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Would Do

Massachusetts Bill S.2244 establishes a low-income cooling assistance program for households earning under 60 percent of the state median income and prohibits utility companies from shutting off gas or electric service for space cooling during extreme heat and high air quality alert days.

Why it matters

Low-income households and vulnerable residents gain protection against utility shutoffs during heat waves and access to cooling assistance grants and energy-efficient appliances, while utility companies face new operational restrictions during high forecasts.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

low-income households

Households earning under 60 percent of the state median income become eligible for cooling assistance grants and energy-efficient appliances.

Directly affected

gas or electric utility companies

Utility providers are prohibited from shutting off or maintaining shutoffs of residential service during specified high heat index and air quality alert days.

Directly affected

vulnerable persons

Individuals over 65, under 5, or with heat-sensitive medical conditions receive priority for cooling assistance.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies for the low-income cooling assistance program?
Households with income not exceeding 60 percent of the state median income are eligible, with priority given to households including vulnerable persons such as adults over 65, young children, or individuals with specific medical conditions.
When are utility companies barred from shutting off gas or electric service?
Utilities cannot shut off service for financial hardship when the service operates space cooling and the National Weather Service forecasts a of 95 degrees Fahrenheit or above for the next 48 hours, on days preceding weekends or holidays with similar forecasts, or when the is forecast at 151 or above.
What is the purpose of the newly established extreme heat task force?
The task force is charged with developing criteria for heat emergencies, creating a strategic plan to integrate cooling solutions into state programs, tracking implementation progress, and suggesting legislative and regulatory changes.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

6 actions
  1. Feb 9, 2026SenateCommittee
    Committee recommended ought to pass and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
  2. Dec 11, 2025SenateCommittee
    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently
  3. Sep 25, 2025Joint
    Hearing rescheduled to 09/25/2025 from 01:00 PM-04:30 PM in A-1 and Virtual<br> <span style="color: blue; font-style: italic;">Hearing updated to New End Time</span>
  4. Sep 15, 2025Joint
    Hearing scheduled for 09/25/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
  5. Feb 27, 2025House
    House concurred
  6. Feb 27, 2025SenateCommittee
    Referred to the committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Cynthia CreemSenate · District Norfolk and MiddlesexDemocraticPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Utility Protections

The bill extends cold-weather utility shutoff protections to hot-weather conditions tied to heat index and air quality forecasts.

National Weather Servicedepartment of environmental protection

Connected Entities

Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Cynthia Creem, National Weather Service and 14 more
OrganizationMassachusetts Health and Hospital Association“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
PersonCynthia Creem“Primary sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2244”Map →
OrganizationNational Weather Service“Weather forecasting agency whose heat index data triggers utility shutoff protec”Map →
Organizationdepartment of public health“Agency required to study maximum temperature requirements for habitable rooms”Map →
Organizationdepartment of housing and community development“Department tasked with operating the low-income cooling assistance program”Map →
OrganizationMassachusetts School Administrators' Association“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationMassachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationHarvard TH Chan School of Public Health“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
Organizationdepartment of environmental protection“Agency providing Air Quality Index forecasts that trigger utility protections”Map →
Organizationmetropolitan area planning council“Regional planning agency represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationMassachusetts emergency management agency“Agency responsible for declaring a heat emergency based on task force criteria”Map →
Organizationexecutive office of public safety and security“Agency required to establish an extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationMassachusetts Public Health Association“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationMassachusetts Municipal Association, Inc.“Association represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationUnited States Environmental Protection Agency“Federal agency providing Air Quality Index forecasts”Map →
OrganizationBoston University School of Public Health“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →
OrganizationMassachusetts Teachers Association“Member organization represented on the extreme heat task force”Map →

Sources

Open source document

malegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance80
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy45
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz50
    Current news / social attention level

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