I rise in support of the redrafted amendment before us.

 

Thank you to Senator Barrett and Representative Roy for quickly coming together to work through the governor’s amendment and keeping this important legislation on track to become law. 

 

We had a narrow window of time, but the Legislature gave careful consideration to the governor’s proposals and made a good faith effort to respond to his concerns and accommodate his viewpoint.

 

We adopt several of the governor’s proposed changes, which strengthen the bill we sent to him two weeks ago.

 

And we reject others, which in our view would frustrate the bill’s ability to deliver emissions reductions.

 

The bottom line is that we are sending Governor Baker a far-reaching, carefully constructed, and transformative bill for his final approval.

 

The bill will bolster clean energy industries in Massachusetts and meaningfully curb our emissions.

 

The governor now has an opportunity to cement his legacy as someone who helped advance the Commonwealth’s climate efforts at a moment when decisive action was necessary. 

 

For the sake of my grandchildren and all those who will inherit this planet from us, I hope he will seize that opportunity.