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 is designed 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 terms such as "intervenor," "compensation," and "significant financial hardship" are defined, and eligibility criteria for local government entities and individuals seeking compensation are outlined.

The bill establishes an "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. Grants from this fund will be capped at $50,000 per proceeding for any single awardee, although exceptions may be made for complex cases. 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 tasked with creating accessible, multi-lingual educational materials and outreach programs to inform potential grantees about the available support.

Intervenors may receive compensation for making a substantial contribution to proceedings, and the commission will review eligibility based on criteria such as the applicant's experience and the anticipated effect of their proposal on residential utility consumers. The commission is also required to submit an annual report detailing the fund's activities, including amounts credited and expended, the number of grant applications received, and an evaluation of the impact of grantees in commission proceedings. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.