SENATE DOCKET, NO. 467        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James B. Eldridge

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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 provide sunlight to state government.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 467        FILED ON: 1/13/2025

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

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1963 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 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 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “court”, in line 2, the following words:- 2 weeks 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, 2026.