Massachusetts House Sends Energy Affordability Bill to Conference Committee

BOSTON — July 16, 2026 — The Massachusetts House declined to concur with Senate changes to a wide-ranging energy bill and appointed a Conference Committee to resolve the impasse at its July 16 session. Representative Mark J. Cusack of Braintree led the procedural moves on House Bill 5175, originally titled "An Act Relative to Energy Affordability, Clean Power, and Economic Competitiveness," which the Senate had sought to retitle and substantially rewrite as Senate Document 3166 under the banner "An Act to Save People Money, Repair the Climate, and Grow the Economy." Speaker Ronald Mariano appointed Cusack, Representative Mike Woods of Boston, and Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr., of North Reading to negotiate a compromise. The House also passed to engrossment a bill renaming the Hyannis Transportation Center for Thomas C. Cahare, passed to engrossment an amended bill establishing a Boston Inspector General Oversight Commission, and enacted Senate Bill 3106 on toxic-free medical devices before adjourning to an informal session Monday at 11 a.m.