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January 2026 Legislative Update
EEA Releases Yearly Report; State Looks to Make Progress on Series of New Programs
The final month of 2025 saw the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) release its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting key milestones and accomplishments from its agencies. According to a release from the agency, over the past year, EEA’s organizations have engaged residents and partners across the state through intentional environmental initiatives. These efforts include legislation to lower energy costs for families, investments in extreme weather preparation, and strategies to protect nature.
The EEA report closely aligns to reporting on the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s progress for meeting the Administration’s Energy Affordability Agenda. The plan, which was codified in proposed legislation that includes key reforms including eliminating and reducing certain charges on electric bills and reducing barriers to new nuclear technologies remains under consideration by the Massachusetts legislature. In addition to increasing energy affordability for residents, the Healey-Driscoll Administration touted the Mass Ready Act, an environmental bond bill proposing $3 billion to strengthen infrastructure and protect communities from extreme weather events. This legislation aims to upgrade roads, dams, and bridges, and establishes a Resilience Revolving Fund for similar projects. It also streamlines permitting for priority housing, culvert replacements, and restoration projects that protect communities from flooding. Additionally, the bill invests in farming and coastal economies and provides communities with resources to reduce flood and heat risk.
With respect to resiliency, the EEA’s report further highlights Massachusetts initiatives to restore ecosystems and strengthen coastal resilience by rebuilding wetlands, upgrading culverts, removing outdated dams, and improving habitats. As reported, the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game, alongside many partners, developed a 25-year plan to protect and restore nature, sustain farms and fisheries, boost local economies, and connect people with nature. Likewise, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) released the ResilientCoasts Plan, a statewide strategy to support coastal communities in preparing for storms, flooding, sea level rise, and erosion. The plan aims to save taxpayers billions by guiding smart coastal management decisions and preserving natural buffers to reduce flood risks.
Finally, in terms of financial support for municipal and private stakeholder, the EEA and its agencies distributed more than $237.9 million in grants across 70+ programs, supporting over 1,600 individual awards statewide in 2025. The grant funding supported initiatives for environmental justice, recycling, outdoor recreation, farmland preservation, drought management and much more.
To review a copy of the EEA’s yearly report, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/eea-2025-end-of-year-report.
Massachusetts AG Joins States Suing Trump Administration over Electric Vehicle Charging Funds
Mid-December saw Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell join a coalition of 17 states who filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for suspending two bipartisan grant programs totaling nearly $2 billion dollars for electric vehicle charging infrastructure aimed at reducing pollution, expanding access to clean vehicles, and, potentially, creating new green jobs.
According to a press release from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has refused to approve any new funding under two electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs created in the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA): the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program (CFI) and the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator (Accelerator) Program (together, the EV Charging Infrastructure Programs). In filing their lawsuit, the 17 state Attorneys General alleged that US DOT’s actions violate constitutional requirements and statutory mandates to carry out these programs.
In 2022, Congress passed the IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The CFI and Accelerator programs are five-year programs created by IIJA for building or repairing electric vehicle (EV) chargers. USDOT and the Federal Highway Administration have refused all new obligations of funds under both programs since the spring of 2025. In mid-January 2025, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was awarded $14.4 million in CFI grants for building new EV charging infrastructure across Massachusetts, enabling the implementation of approximately 458 Level 2 charging ports (for fast electric charging) and 14 Level 3 charging points (for faster, high capacity charging, including for heavy-duty electric vehicles) at approximately 30 locations. These locations would provide charging for commuters during the day and be accessible for neighborhood use during off-hours. To date, none of the $14.4 million of MassDOT’s CFI award has been obligated due to the lack of funding.
The filed complaint alleges that the Trump Administration’s refusal to spend the funds that Congress appropriated for EV infrastructure is unlawful because it violates the separation of powers and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. The programs were created by statute, and federal agencies have a duty to faithfully execute those statutes. The complaint asks the court to declare that the defendants’ actions are unlawful and to permanently stop the Administration from withholding these funds. Joining AG Campbell in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin and Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.
To view a copy of the complaint, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/doc/cfi-grants-complaint/download.
Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches Business Builds Program to Support Business Expansion Across Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) announced the launch of Business Builds, a new competitive capital grant program designed to support business expansion, job creation, and climate-friendly investment across Massachusetts at the end of the year.
Created through the Mass Leads Act and administered by the Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD), Business Builds provides strategic grants to businesses relocating to, expanding in, or creating new jobs in Massachusetts. The MOBD, located within the executive agency, assists businesses expanding in and relocating to Massachusetts, with specific attention paid to projects that create and retain jobs and invest capital. The program is aimed at strengthening Massachusetts’ competitiveness, accelerating private investment, and advancing projects that provide a clear public benefit, including job growth, revitalization of underutilized properties and economic growth in rural areas.
According to information provided by EOED, Business Builds advances the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s commitment to increasing Massachusetts’ economic competitiveness while ensuring that public investments deliver meaningful public value. The program will complement existing tools such as the Economic Development Incentive Program to spur job creation, strengthen regional economies, and support capital investments in facilities and equipment. Through Business Builds, EOED aims to attract and retain businesses across Massachusetts, including in gateway cities, rural towns, and underutilized or redevelopment areas.
Business Builds is a rolling program; the next deadline to apply is February 4, 2026. For more information, visit www.mass.gov/info-details/business-builds-capital-grant-program.
Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards Funding to 160 Organizations to Improve Workplace Safety; Launches SafetyWorks Initiative
Late in 2025, the Healey–Driscoll Administration launched the newly repackaged SafetyWorks Initiative, a comprehensive program designed to help employers strengthen workplace safety through grant funding and free technical assistance. SafetyWorks serves as a one-stop resource, bringing together state occupational and industrial safety tools, guidance, and consultation to make it easier for businesses to access training and support.
A key component of the initiative is the SafetyWorks Training Grant, administered by the Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA). Formerly known as the Workplace Safety Grant Program, this funding provides eligible Massachusetts-based employers with grants of up to $25,000 to offset the cost of safety training. Supported training includes compliance programs such as OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour courses, as well as prevention-focused instruction in areas like defensive driving, hoisting, and First Aid/CPR. Employers may also propose customized training topics and curricula in partnership with approved training providers.
To the aforementioned point, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development also announced $800,000 in SafetyWorks grants to support training for an estimated 13,832 workers at 160 organizations across the Commonwealth. Administered by the DIA, these grants are intended to enhance workplace safety through education, training, and other preventative measures. Grant recipients represent a wide range of employers, including municipalities, small businesses, minority- and women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and organizations across industries such as construction, manufacturing, and beyond.
Finally, SafetyWorks also offers free, confidential technical consultation through the Department of Labor Standards for both public- and private-sector employers. These consultations provide hands-on assistance to identify hazards, improve safety practices, and support compliance with workplace safety requirements. To learn more about this program and schedule a confidential consultation, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/safetyworks-consultation.
Since 1988, the Department of Industrial Accidents has invested approximately $24 million in workplace safety initiatives, benefiting roughly 324,000 workers and 1,693 employers statewide.
Employers interested in taking advantage of SafetyWorks resources, including training grants and confidential consultations, are encouraged to explore the program and learn how it can support safer, healthier workplaces can visit: https://www.mass.gov/safetyworks.
And the Ballot Questions Keep Coming; Potential Record Number of Ballot Measures Headed for Vote?
As noted by the State House News Service in its ongoing coverage of the same, Massachusetts is on track for what could be a historic number of statewide ballot questions in the November 2026 general election, as the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office continues certifying initiative petitions that have met the required thresholds to advance in the process. With a January 7, 2026 deadline to complete certifications and transmit measures to the Legislature, a growing number of citizen-led proposals are moving steadily forward.
In the most recent announcement from the Elections Division, six additional proposed ballot questions were certified as having met the required minimum of 74,574 valid signatures, bringing the total number of initiative petitions cleared to date to 11. These proposals span a wide range of policy areas, underscoring the breadth of issues being pursued through the ballot initiative process.
Among the newly certified measures is a proposal backed by State Auditor Diana DiZoglio that would expand the Massachusetts public records law to cover most records held by the Legislature and the governor’s office. The petition cleared certification with 89,013 signatures, reflecting sustained public interest in government transparency and accountability. Another certified initiative seeks to overhaul the Legislature’s stipend system. That petition received 96,797 certified signatures. Labor policy is also featured among the advancing initiatives. A ballot measure that would allow employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services to collectively bargain received 86,153 certified signatures. The campaign backing the proposal is led by a partnership between the Service Employees International Union and the National Association of Government Employees. Finally, the Secretary of State’s Elections Division also certified 85,588 signatures for a proposal that would impose a new cap on annual state revenue growth. Under the measure, yearly state revenue would be limited to the prior year’s net revenue adjusted by the average growth in wages and salaries in Massachusetts over the preceding three years. Any revenue collected above that limit would be refunded to taxpayers the following year.
Right before the January 7th deadline, the Secretary of State announced certification for the last two proposed ballot measures remain under review. One would redirect sales tax revenue from sporting goods such as golf clubs, recreational vehicles, and camping equipment into a new “Nature for All Fund,” potentially generating approximately $100 million annually for water and land conservation and restoration. The other proposal seeks to make it easier for residents to purchase a home by updating local zoning rules.
Lawmakers now have until May 5, 2026 to act on the initiatives. If the Legislature does not enact a proposal as filed, petitioners must collect an additional 12,429 certified signatures by June 17th to secure placement on the November 2026 statewide ballot. With all constitutional state officers and members of the Legislature up for election this year, the campaign season was already expected to be one of the busiest in recent memory – something eleven potential ballot questions will only add to.
News In Brief
Revenue Continues to Meet Benchmark. In the last complete accounting (i.e. full month’s figures) before the end of the year, the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) announced that preliminary revenue collections for November totaled $2.562 billion, $107 million or 4.4% more than actual collections in November 2024, and $89 million or 3.6% above benchmark. FY26 year-to-date collections totaled approximately $15.572 billion, which is $657 million or 4.4% more than actual collections in the same period of FY25, and $188 million or 1.2% above the year-to-date benchmark. In general, November is among the smaller months for revenue collection because neither individual nor business taxpayers make significant estimated payments during the month. Historically, according to the DOR, roughly 6.5% of annual revenue, on average, has been received during November.
MassDOT SnowPlow Contest Winners. MassDOT has announced the winners of its fourth annual “Name a Snowplow” contest, celebrating the creativity of elementary and middle school students across the Commonwealth while highlighting the essential work of public works crews during winter weather. Classrooms from public and private schools submitted entries to name 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025–2026 winter season, with winning names ranging from playful to clever, including “Master Snowda,” “Flake Maye,” “Darth Blader,” “Clearopathra,” “Sleet Caroline,” and “Scrape Codder.” Selected by a panel of MassDOT employees, two winning classrooms were chosen in each of the state’s six Highway Division districts across two grade categories. MassDOT uses the program to increase awareness about winter safety while honoring the dedication of snow and ice crews who work to keep roads safe during severe weather events. For more information about the Name a Snowplow contest and the full list of winners, visit: https://www.mass.gov/name-a-snowplow.
State Contract Truck Safety Regulations Now Being Enforced. Effective January 1, 2026, Massachusetts’ updated truck equipment safety requirements – for state contract holders, which primarily utilize Class 3 trucks that are greater than 10,001 lbs gvw - are now being enforced. Accordingly, contractors and fleet operators should ensure their vehicles are fully compliant and registered through the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles’ website. The law requires the aforementioned classes of trucks operating in the Commonwealth to be equipped with additional safety devices designed to reduce blind spots and improve visibility, particularly to protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The additional equipment required includes lateral protective devices (i.e. sideguards), rear facing cameras and convex/concave mirrors. Waivers are available for vehicles that cannot meet these requirements. Additional details, including covered vehicle types and specific equipment requirements, are available at: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/truck-safety-devices.
