The proposed "All-Electric Building Act" amends Title 37 of the General Laws by establishing regulations for the construction of new buildings. Under this act, no city or town may issue permits for new commercial, residential, or mixed-use buildings that are not all-electric if the initial application is submitted after December 31, 2026, unless certain exceptions apply. An all-electric building is defined as one that relies solely on electricity for its energy needs, without any natural gas, propane, or oil systems. Exceptions to this rule are provided for cases where constructing an all-electric building is deemed physically or technically infeasible, as well as for specific types of facilities such as hospitals, medical facilities, laboratories for biological research, and restaurants.

The act also defines "all-electric ready" buildings, which must contain the necessary electrical systems and designs to support a future transition to all-electric systems. The public utilities commission, in conjunction with the office of housing and community development and the state building code commission, is tasked with developing guidelines for electric-ready buildings by January 1, 2026. Additionally, the act mandates that by February 1, 2027, the public utilities commission, the office of housing and community development, and the state building code commission must report jointly to the governor, the senate president, and the speaker of the house regarding necessary changes to electric rate designs, subsidy programs, policies, or laws to ensure that the act does not diminish the production of affordable housing or the affordability of electricity for customers in all-electric buildings. Overall, the act aims to promote the use of all-electric buildings while providing certain exemptions and considerations for specific types of facilities.