Chapters 540 and 541 of the 2026 Acts of Assembly (HB3/SB5) directs DHCD to establish a task force to determine barriers to access and enrollment in the current energy efficiency programs and to develop a plan to ensure that weatherization-ready repairs and whole-home energy efficiency retrofits are provided to all eligible income-qualified households in the Commonwealth by 2034.
The Task Force is comprised of designees from DHCD, the Department of Energy, the Department of Social Services, the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation, and the Division of Consumer Counsel of the Office of the Attorney General. The Task Force also includes non-legislative citizen members including a clean energy advocate, a representative of the residential construction industry, a representative from a firm based in the Commonwealth and specializing in residential and commercial building energy performance, building diagnostics, or energy code compliance, an energy burden advocate, an income-qualified ratepayer advocate, a representative of a state institution of higher education, utility providers that offer energy efficiency programs, an affordable housing advocate, an income-qualified ratepayer who has received or attempted to receive weatherization assistance, and other member deemed appropriate by DHCD.
The Task Force will meet six times between July 2026 and September 2027 and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by September 30, 2027. All meetings are open to the public.
