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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1589 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 638
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Jay D. Livingstone
_________________
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 to protect library patron privacy.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jay D. Livingstone8th Suffolk1/15/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/4/2025Adrianne Pusateri Ramos14th Essex3/6/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1589 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 638
By Representative Livingstone of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 638) of
Jay D. Livingstone, Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Adrianne Pusateri Ramos for legislation relative to
the privacy of library records. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act to protect library patron privacy.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 7 of chapter 78 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking
2the third sentence.
3 SECTION 2. Said chapter 78 is hereby amended by inserting after section 7 the following
4section:-
5 Section 7A.
6 That part of the records of a public library which reveals the identity and intellectual
7pursuits of a person using such library shall not be a public record as defined by clause Twenty-
8sixth of section seven of chapter four. Access to such part of such library records shall be granted
9only with a warrant issued pursuant to chapter 276 or under exigent circumstances.
10