HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3967        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 764

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Antonio F. D. Cabral and William M. Straus

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to polling place security and integrity.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3967        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 764

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act relative to polling place security and integrity.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 72 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 72. (a) The board or officer in charge of the police force of each city and town shall detail a sufficient number of police officers or constables for each building that contains the polling place for one or more precincts at every election therein to preserve order and to protect the election officers and supervisors from any interference with their duties and to aid in enforcing the laws relating to elections; provided further, that this subsection may apply to section 25B at the discretion of the election officers and registrars for a city or town.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, no county or state law enforcement officers, including but not limited to sheriffs, special sheriffs, and deputy sheriffs subject to chapter 37, officers employed or supervised thereby, and persons acting on their behalf, shall be permitted on the premises of a polling place or within 150 feet of a polling place to preserve order or to protect the election officers and supervisors from any interference with their duties or to aid in enforcing the laws relating to elections without the express written approval of both the secretary of public safety and security and the board or officer in charge of the police force of the city or town; provided further, that this subsection shall also apply to section 25B.