SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1458        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michael J. Barrett

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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 relating to public access to historical records.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1458        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1965 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relating to public access to historical records.

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 7 of Chapter 66 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereto the following sentence: All records in the custody of the state secretary accessioned from state institutions for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities or mental health conditions in the commonwealth shall be open to public inspection and available for copying after the expiration of seventy-five years from creation of the record.