Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H3718 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
OldNewDifferences
11 1 of 1
22 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1992 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
33 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3718
44 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
55 _________________
66 PRESENTED BY:
77 Kathleen R. LaNatra and Kenneth P. Sweezey
88 _________________
99 To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
1010 Court assembled:
1111 The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
1212 An Act to ensure benefits through enhanced Selective Service registration.
1313 _______________
1414 PETITION OF:
1515 NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kathleen R. LaNatra12th Plymouth1/15/2025Kenneth P. Sweezey6th Plymouth1/15/2025 1 of 3
1616 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1992 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
1717 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3718
1818 By Representatives LaNatra of Kingston and Sweezey of Duxbury, a petition (accompanied by
1919 bill, House, No. 3718) of Kathleen R. LaNatra and Kenneth P. Sweezey relative to registering
2020 applicants for licenses to operate motor vehicles with the Selective Service System.
2121 Transportation.
2222 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
2323 _______________
2424 In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
2525 (2025-2026)
2626 _______________
2727 An Act to ensure benefits through enhanced Selective Service registration.
2828 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
2929 of the same, as follows:
3030 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 90 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition,
3131 2is hereby amended by inserting after section 8M the following section:-
3232 3 Section 8N. (a) An applicant who applies for an operator’s license, learner’s permit,
3333 4identification card or a renewal of any such permit or license and who is at least 18 years of age
3434 5but less than 26 years of age authorizes the registrar to register the applicant with the Selective
3535 6Service System in compliance with section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act through the
3636 7applicant’s signature on the application unless the applicant indicates otherwise as described in
3737 8subsection (b).
3838 9 (b) The registrar shall give notice to any applicant who is at least 16 years of age but less
3939 10than 26 years of age that the applicant has a duty under federal law to register with the Selective
4040 11Service System at age 18. If the applicant has not registered within 30 days after reaching 18 2 of 3
4141 12years of age, they shall be informed that they still has an affirmative obligation under federal law
4242 13to register with the Selective Service System before reaching 26 years of age. The registrar shall
4343 14also notify the applicant that their signature on an application for any such license, permit,
4444 15identification card or renewal shall constitute consent to authorize the registrar to forward the
4545 16applicant’s information to the Selective Service System, registering the applicant with the
4646 17Selective Service System unless the applicant declines to give such consent by signing a
4747 18statement so stating on the application.
4848 19 (c) If the applicant is at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age the registrar
4949 20shall notify the applicant that their signature on an application for any such license, permit,
5050 21identification card or renewal shall constitute consent authorizing the applicant to be registered
5151 22upon attaining 18 years of age as required by federal law, unless the applicant indicates
5252 23otherwise as described in subsection (b).
5353 24 (d) The registrar shall notify the applicant that a refusal to grant such consent shall not be
5454 25grounds for denial of driving privileges nor shall it be a basis for the registrar to discriminate
5555 26against the applicant, and that the opportunity to give such consent to the registrar is provided
5656 27only for the convenience of the applicant. This notice shall be made both verbally and through a
5757 28written document available in English, Spanish and such other languages as the registrar
5858 29determines. If the applicant grants that authority, the registrar shall forward to the Selective
5959 30Service System, in an electronic format, no sooner than the applicant’s eighteenth birthday, only
6060 31the information necessary for registration of the applicant. 3 of 3
6161 32 (e) Failure to grant such authority as provided in this section shall not be a basis for the
6262 33registrar or any other related government agency to discriminate against the applicant, including
6363 34but not limited to the denial of driving privileges.
6464 35 (f) The registrar shall not distribute or make available to any person or governmental
6565 36agency in any way any list of those applicants who declined to grant the registrar authority to
6666 37forward their information to the Selective Service System. The registrar shall not compile,
6767 38develop or maintain any such list unless it is necessary for the administration and operation of
6868 39the registry, and such list shall not be given to any other governmental or non-governmental
6969 40agency. The registrar shall not distribute or make available to any person or governmental
7070 41agency any list of those applicants who did grant the registrar authority to forward their
7171 42information to the Selective Service System except as otherwise authorized by this section.
7272 43 SECTION 2. Implementation of this act shall be contingent on the receipt by the registrar
7373 44of motor vehicles of sufficient federal funds to pay a reasonable portion of the initial start-up
7474 45costs for computer programming changes necessary to implement the requirements of this
7575 46section related to the reporting of information to the Selective Service Administration. The
7676 47registrar shall initiate and monitor efforts to obtain federal funds for the purposes stated in this
7777 48act and shall report promptly to the joint committee on public safety and the house and senate
7878 49committees on ways and means when federal funds have been received by the department.