Bill > S2210

This bill aims to extend the public records law to include the Governor and the Legislature in Massachusetts, making several key amendments to existing law. The bill modifies Chapter 4 and Chapter 66 of the General Laws to explicitly include the General Court (state legislature) and the Governor's office in public records provisions. Specifically, it creates new exemptions for certain types of legislative and gubernatorial communications, such as constituent service requests and policy development documents. The bill protects communications between legislators and their constituents when those communications reasonably relate to obtaining government benefits or services, and it shields documents related to developing policy positions. Additionally, the bill makes technical changes to various sections of the law to reference the General Court and Governor alongside existing references to agencies and municipalities. These modifications will effectively bring the Governor's office and Legislature under the same public records requirements as other government entities, while also providing some specific protections for sensitive communications. The changes are set to take effect on January 1, 2026, giving government entities time to prepare for the new requirements.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2210