SENATE DOCKET, NO. 131        FILED ON: 1/11/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1963

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

_________________

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 to provide sunlight to state government.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

1/30/2023

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/2/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

2/6/2023

Smitty Pignatelli

3rd Berkshire

3/15/2023

Liz Miranda

Second Suffolk

4/21/2023

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

5/30/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

8/31/2023

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/23/2024

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

1/23/2024


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 131        FILED ON: 1/11/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1963

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1963) of James B. Eldridge, David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf, Mike Connolly and Rebecca L. Rausch for legislation to provide sunlight to state government.  Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act to provide sunlight to state government.

 

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

SECTION 1. Section 35 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “court”, in line 2, the following words:- 1 week before the hearing

SECTION 2. Said section 35 of said chapter 3, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following 4 paragraphs:-

If public testimony is being solicited, the legislative committee’s agenda shall include an electronic mail address and physical mail address for the submission of testimony. The senate and house clerk shall publish such information on the official website of the general court.

Said public testimony received by the legislative committee that is readily capable of being reproduced shall be made available to the public upon request; provided, however, that the legislative committee may redact public testimony that includes sensitive personal information or information that may jeopardize the health, wellness or safety of an individual.

If the legislative committee solicits expert testimony, the legislative committee shall make reasonable efforts to promote the diversity of expert witness panels. For purposes of this section and section 35A, a legislative committee shall mean a joint committee, a committee consisting exclusively of senate or house members or a special commission that is chaired by a member of the general court.

SECTION 3. Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 35 the following section:-

Section 35A. The senate and house clerks shall post all recorded votes of each member of a legislative committee on the website of the general court as soon as practicable but no later than 48 hours of the vote being taken; provided, however, that in the 2 weeks before the conclusion of all formal business of the first annual session of the general court or the 2 weeks before the conclusion of the second annual session of the general court the clerk shall post all recorded votes as soon as practicable.

SECTION 4. Subclause 26 of section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the figure “32,” in line 157, the following words:- or office of the governor

SECTION 5. Section 4 shall apply to records of the office of the governor created or received after noon on January 5, 2023.