SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1945        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Nick Collins

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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 to close travel loophole in the state conflict of interest law, and to provide for greater transparency and accountability regarding travel gifts.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1945        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act to close travel loophole in the state conflict of interest law, and to provide for greater transparency and accountability regarding travel gifts.

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 3(f) of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 268A is hereby amended by inserting immediately  before the end of subsection (iv) the following: "; provided, however, that no exclusion shall  be established for travel expenses paid or reimbursed by an organization that, for the year in which the travel commences, is registered  with the State Secretary as a Client under the Massachusetts Lobbying Law, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 3 Sections 39 and 41."

SECTION 2. The State Ethics Commission shall maintain, and make available to any member of the public upon request, a remotely accessible electronic data base of all travel expense disclosure forms filed by elected public officials as required by  the Commission's regulations at 930 CMR 5.00. The electronic data base shall be searchable by name of the elected public official filing the disclosure.

SECTION 3. The State Ethics Commission shall revise the travel expense disclosure form filed by elected public officials to include whether the official has, within the 12 months prior to the commencement of travel, been the subject of legislative  lobbying by the organization paying his or her travel expenses with respect to legislation filed with the General Court.  For the purposes of this Section 3, the terms "legislative lobbying" and "legislation" shall have the meanings given them by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 3 Section 39.