Bill > S2099

This bill aims to increase transparency in Massachusetts state government by implementing several key provisions. First, it requires that legislative committee hearing notices be published 2 weeks before the hearing date. The bill mandates that when public testimony is solicited, legislative committees must provide electronic and physical mailing addresses for submission, and these addresses must be published on the official state government website. Public testimony will be made available upon request, with allowances for redacting sensitive personal information. The bill also requires legislative committees to make reasonable efforts to promote diversity in expert witness panels. Additionally, the bill requires the senate and house clerks to post all recorded votes of legislative committee members on the general court website within 48 hours of the vote, with more urgent posting requirements during the final two weeks of legislative sessions. Furthermore, the bill expands public records access by including the office of the governor in existing public records provisions, though this specific change will only apply to records created after January 5, 2026. These provisions collectively seek to enhance government transparency and public access to legislative information.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2099