The bill introduces a new section to Chapter 39-1 of the General Laws, establishing a "Public Utility Commission and Energy Facility Siting Board Intervenor Support Program." This program aims to provide financial compensation for reasonable advocate's fees, reasonable expert witness fees, and other reasonable costs incurred by intervenors who make a substantial contribution to proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission and the Energy Facility Siting Board. Key definitions are provided, including terms such as "intervenor," "compensation," and "significant financial hardship."

The bill outlines the eligibility criteria and application process for compensation, mandating the commission to create accessible, multi-lingual educational materials to inform potential grantees about the available support. It establishes the "Intervenor Compensation Special Fund," which will be funded through appropriations from the General Assembly, fees levied by the commission or siting board, and assessments on electric and gas distribution companies. This fund will provide grants to eligible intervenors, capped at $50,000 per proceeding for any single awardee, although grants may exceed this limit upon demonstration of good cause, including the complexity of the proceeding.

The total funding for any individual proceeding is limited to $100,000, with allocations based on the financial hardship of applicants if requests exceed this amount. The commission is encouraged to promote collaboration among intervenors to reduce costs and avoid duplicative participation. An annual report will be submitted to the legislature detailing the fund's activities, including amounts credited to and expended from the fund, the number of grant applications received, and the impact of grantees in commission and board proceedings. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.