Gov. Healey says her economic development borrowing bill will run about $3.5B

Gov. Maura Healey plans to file  a roughly $3.5 billion-plus economic development borrowing bill this week that shuttles $1 billion each to two decade-long investment initiatives aimed at the life sciences and climate technology sectors.

Healey teased out even more details of her latest policy proposal Thursday morning at Form Energy, a start-up headquartered in Somerville focused on multi-day, large-scale batteries. It is the second time this week Healey has promoted the bill she has yet to file.

“We’re in for the long haul, long investment,” Healey said. “It’s got to be meaningful. The idea is substantial amount for life sciences reauthorization, substantial amount for climate tech, where we’re making a play to be the global hub for climate tech.”

A public-private investment program into life sciences started under Gov. Deval Patrick, who committed $1 billion to the sector over 10 years, and continued with Gov. Charlie Baker, who shuttled $623 million to the program over five years.

The program expires in June 2025, and Healey’s proposed reauthorization puts another $1 billion toward the initiative. Healey also proposed $1 billion for a 10-year climate technology investment program.

This year’s economic development bill, which Healey dubbed the “Mass Leads Act,” will also include reauthorizations of “some existing programs that do important work throughout communities, more support for a creative economy, more support for rural economies, and a variety of other things,” she said.

The roughly $3.5 billion in borrowing would occur over 10 years, Healey said.

“We know this legislation will invest in every sector of our economy, to help businesses and workers succeed in every region of our state, now and for a generation to come,” Healey said.

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