The following bills have been filed by Rep. Domb in the 193rd General Court to address the climate emergency. She is also a co-sponsor of additional bills that contribute to the commonwealth’s response. (You can see a list of all the bills Rep. Domb has co-sponsored here.)
Support Farmers and Fisheries in the Face of a Changing Climate
H91, An Act addressing the impact of climate change on farms and fisheries.
This bill establishes a new grant program, the Agriculture and Fishery Vulnerability Preparedness Grant Fund to support farms and fisheries in initiating and planning for climate change adaptation and resiliency. Modeled after the popular Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program, this grant program will benefit these vital sectors who are on the frontline of the climate crisis.
Invest our Public Pensions in a Green Future
H2504, An Act to mandate the review of climate risk in order to protect public pension beneficiaries and taxpayers.
This bill requires that the state’s public pension fund investments in fossil fuel and related industries be assessed as climate and economic risks, and that the decarbonization of our stock portfolio supports – and is compatible with – the decarbonization of our state’s economy. The legislation creates an investment review process to facilitate decarbonization decision-making and actions. It supports the Commonwealth’s efforts to decarbonize by 2050 by protecting pensioner’s investments as the nation, the world, and our Commonwealth continue to move away from fossil fuels.
Implement Climate Science Education in our Classrooms
H470, An Act concerning climate science education.
This bill establishes the Climate Science Education Trust Fund to support curriculum, resource and professional development for teaching on climate and the human impact on climate in K-12 public schools in the commonwealth. DESE will oversee the disbursement of funds, prioritizing public schools or school districts in part who serve students from environmental justice populations or who exist in designated communities with environmental justice populations. The bill also requires DESE to establish a process to ensure that curriculum standards for the subjects of science, technology, history, social science and civics are reviewed to include, relevant interdisciplinary climate change standards.
Make a Plan for Healthy Green Schools
H469, An Act establishing a Green and Healthy Schools working group and implementation plan, filed in the Senate by Senator Jo Comerford as SD314.
This bill builds on the success of last session’s passage of our bill for a comprehensive assessment of the commonwealth’s school buildings for energy efficiency, ventilation, and other environmental concerns. This bill helps ensure implementation of the new law and requires the state to develop a plan for implementing and enforcing green and healthy school standards for all schools by 2050 to assure that all schools provide students and teachers with a healthy environment that is conducive to learning, protects safety and public health, and efficiently uses energy and natural resources.
Calculate the Public Health Impacts of Fossil Fuels
H3622, An Act relative to protecting public health and reducing health care costs, filed with Rep. Marjorie Decker.
This bill promotes the assessment of health impacts and costs resulting from emissions associated with grid electricity and delivered fuels, and the benefits of energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy in the Commonwealth. The assessment tool shall separately quantify health impacts and costs of emissions to environmental justice populations, the MassHealth program, and community hospitals.