Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H814 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2915 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 814
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Mike Connolly, (BY REQUEST)
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 enabling children’s right to vote.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Robin Chen129 Franklin St. Cambridge, MA
16	16	02139
17	17	1/16/2025 1 of 4
18	18	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2915 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
19	19	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 814
20	20	By Representative Connolly of Cambridge (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House,
21	21	No. 814) of Robin Chen for legislation to enable children’s right to vote. Election Laws.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE HOUSE, NO. 670 OF 2023-2024.]
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	An Act enabling children’s right to vote.
30	30	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
31	31	of the same, as follows:
32	32	1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter 50 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
33	33	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting in alphabetical position:-
34	34	3 “Capacity to make voting decisions independently” shall mean having the ability to
35	35	4understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of voting decisions, including the
36	36	5benefits and risks of and alternatives to any candidate for office, referendum question, or matter
37	37	6of public affairs, and to reach an informed decision, without significant input from a caregiver
38	38	7 SECTION 2. The first sentence of Section 1 of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as
39	39	8appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by replacing “years” with “days” and
40	40	9by removing “a person under guardianship or” 2 of 4
41	41	10 SECTION 3. Section 1 of chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
42	42	11Official  Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence the following:-
43	43	12 Section 2. A voter who lacks capacity to make voting decisions independently who
44	44	13arrives willingly at a polling site with a family member may receive from this family member
45	45	14any guidance, support, or executive assistance necessary to cast their ballot, except that no such
46	46	15ballot may be counted if the voter informs the presiding officer that the ballot should not count.
47	47	16 SECTION 4. Subsection (a) of Section 4 of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing
48	48	17in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended in the first sentence, by replacing “three years”
49	49	18with “one day.”
50	50	19 SECTION 5. Section 4 of chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
51	51	20Official  Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section (e) the following subsection:-
52	52	21 (f) The name and address of any person under the age of 17 who so requests shall appear
53	53	22on the street list.
54	54	23 SECTION 6. Section 4A of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
55	55	24Official Edition, is hereby amended by replacing the first sentence with the following:-
56	56	25 During the course of the annual listing of residents, the registrars shall notify residents of
57	57	26the opportunity to register themselves or their dependent family members as voters and shall
58	58	27provide residents with assistance in registering themselves or their dependent family members to
59	59	28vote.
60	60	29 SECTION 7. Section 14 of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
61	61	30Official Edition, is hereby amended by replacing “years” with “days” 3 of 4
62	62	31 SECTION 8. Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition,
63	63	32is hereby amended by inserting, after Section 26A, the following sections:-
64	64	33 Section 26B. (a) The state secretary, in consultation with the commissioner of the
65	65	34department of public health, the registrar of the registry of vital records and statistics, the
66	66	35commissioner of early education and care, and the president of the most populous member
67	67	36organization whose mission is to advance pediatric medical care, shall establish a non-partisan
68	68	37baby and caregiver voter challenge program and shall promulgate regulations to implement the
69	69	38program in participating birth centers, childcare centers, and pediatric medical practices in the
70	70	39commonwealth; provided, however, that the regulations shall identify registration time periods
71	71	40that allow eligible persons to participate in all municipal and state elections, including primary
72	72	41elections.
73	73	42 (b) Directors of programs shall ensure that each voter challenge program implemented in
74	74	43their organization provides opportunities for outreach and for all eligible voters to register to
75	75	44vote, regardless of whether or not the eligible voter has a formal relationship with their
76	76	45organization.
77	77	46 Section 26C. (a) The state secretary, in consultation with the commissioner of elementary
78	78	47and secondary education, the board of elementary and secondary education, and the executive
79	79	48director of the most populous member organization whose mission is to advance afterschool
80	80	49programming shall establish a non-partisan voter challenge program and shall promulgate
81	81	50regulations to implement the program in participating schools and afterschool or community
82	82	51centers in the commonwealth; provided, however, that the regulations shall identify registration 4 of 4
83	83	52time periods that allow eligible voters to participate in all municipal and state elections,
84	84	53including primary elections.
85	85	54 (b) Superintendents of schools shall ensure that each voter challenge program
86	86	55implemented in their districts provides opportunities for outreach and for all eligible voters to
87	87	56register or pre-register to vote on any participating school or afterschool campus. An enrolled
88	88	57student may apply to serve as a voter outreach coordinator or be selected to serve as a voter
89	89	58outreach coordinator by a peer nomination process.
90	90	59 SECTION 9. Section 42 of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
91	91	60Official Edition, is hereby amended by replacing “16 years” with “18 days”
92	92	61 SECTION 10. Section 47A of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
93	93	62Official Edition, is hereby repealed.
94	94	63 SECTION 11. Section 50 of Chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
95	95	64Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after “commonwealth”:-
96	96	65 "who becomes eighteen days of age after the final time for registration under said section
97	97	66twenty-six, or "