Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1595 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3482 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1595
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Nicholas A. Boldyga
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to protect the confidentiality of journalistic news sources and information.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Nicholas A. Boldyga3rd Hampden1/17/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3482 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1595
18	18	By Representative Boldyga of Southwick, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1595) of
19	19	Nicholas A. Boldyga relative to confidentiality of journalistic news sources and information
20	20	during legal proceedings. The Judiciary.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act to protect the confidentiality of journalistic news sources and information.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 Section 1. Definitions
30	30	2 As used in this act, the following words shall have the following meanings:
31	31	3 (a) "Journalist", anyone engaged in gathering, preparing, collecting, writing, editing,
32	32	4filming, taping, or photographing news intended for dissemination to the public via a medium of
33	33	5mass communication, including but not limited to bloggers, podcasters, authors, or credentialed
34	34	6members of the media.
35	35	7 (b) "News", information of public interest concerning local, national, or international
36	36	8events that the journalist believes is a matter of public concern.
37	37	9 (c) "Confidential Source", any person providing information to a journalist with the
38	38	10express or implied agreement that the identity of the source will not be disclosed. 2 of 3
39	39	11 (d) "Unpublished Information", all information not communicated to the public by the
40	40	12journalist, including notes, outtakes, photographs, or any other form of work product.
41	41	13 Section 2. Privilege
42	42	14 (a) Absolute Privilege for Confidential Sources. No journalist shall be compelled to
43	43	15disclose in any legal proceeding the identity of any confidential source.
44	44	16 (b) Qualified Privilege for Unpublished Information. A journalist shall not be compelled
45	45	17to disclose any unpublished information in any legal proceeding unless the party seeking such
46	46	18information demonstrates:
47	47	19 (1) that the information is material and relevant;
48	48	20 (2) that the information is necessary to the resolution of the issue;
49	49	21 (3) that the information cannot be obtained by alternative means without undue hardship.
50	50	22 Section 3. Exceptions
51	51	23 This privilege may not be invoked if:
52	52	24 (a) disclosure is necessary to prevent imminent harm, including death, serious bodily
53	53	25injury, or unjust incarceration.
54	54	26 Section 4. Applicability
55	55	27 This law applies to all legal proceedings, including criminal, civil, administrative, and
56	56	28grand jury proceedings within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
57	57	29 Section 5. Protection in Criminal Proceedings 3 of 3
58	58	30 A journalist's privilege shall not be revoked solely because the journalist is accused of a
59	59	31crime involving the information at issue unless the crime involves direct harm to an individual,
60	60	32and the information is directly necessary to prove or disprove the criminal act, with the court
61	61	33ensuring that any compelled disclosure is strictly limited to what is necessary for the
62	62	34proceedings.