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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3551 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 701
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Kay Khan
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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 enforcing accessibility for voters with disabilities.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kay Khan11th Middlesex1/20/2023Steven Owens29th Middlesex1/30/2023Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/2/2023Samantha Montaño15th Suffolk2/14/2023David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf17th Worcester2/17/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol2/20/2023Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester2/22/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester2/22/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3551 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 701
By Representative Khan of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 701) of Kay
Khan and others for legislation to ensure access to polling places for voters with disabilities.
Election Laws.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act enforcing accessibility for voters with disabilities.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 54 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 24 the
2following section:-
3 Section 24A. To ensure compliance with federal and state laws concerning accessibility
4for voters with disabilities including the state secretary’s polling place accessibility regulations,
5an agent of the state secretary shall inspect, at least once every four years, each polling place
6most recently designated under section 24 and each early voting site most recently designated
7under subsection (b) of section 25B. The inspecting agent shall promptly and specifically report
8in writing to the state secretary and the city or town clerk every failure to comply with state and
9federal accessibility laws, and the responsible officials of the city or town shall take immediate
10action to ensure access for voters with disabilities and within 5 days submit to the state secretary
11a written plan to comply. If the city or town fails to take such immediate action or to submit a
12written plan to provide access to voters with disabilities, the state secretary may order the city or 2 of 2
13town to comply with the law. Not later than December 31 each year, the state secretary shall
14report in writing to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives on all activities under
15this section. The attorney general may bring a civil action in the superior court to enforce
16compliance with those accessibility laws, with a written plan, or with the state secretary’s order.
17The actions provided in this section shall not limit the availability of judicial remedies to any
18person, official, commission or board.