Committee hears $2.5 billion BRIGHT Act proposal to modernize, decarbonize public higher education

The Joint Committee on Higher Education held a public hearing on H.54, the BRIGHT Act, a $2.5 billion plan to modernize public higher education campuses across Massachusetts and accelerate decarbonization, administration and university officials said.

University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan told the committee the legislation represents “a generational investment” and urged lawmakers to act so campuses can repair aging buildings, reduce emissions and support research and workforce training. Governor Maura Healey’s office filed the bill; witnesses included members of the UMass system, state university presidents, community college leaders, DCAM and trade and construction representatives.

Why it matters: The commonwealth’s public campuses were built largely in the 1950–1970 period and now face a mix of deferred maintenance, outdated labs and high-energy systems. Administration officials said the BRIGHT Act would use fair-share surtax revenues to back special obligation borrowing and provide authorizations and targeted grants to get projects started quickly. The administration estimates the fund could support $2.5 billion in borrowing while creating thousands of construction jobs statewide.

Key numbers and structure - Proposed authorization: $2.5 billion for UMass, state universities and community colleges, plus $500 million in smaller targeted authorizations for master planning, small modernization projects, workforce skills capital grants, and land…