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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2136 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 820
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Kate Donaghue and Frank A. Moran
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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:Kate Donaghue19th Worcester1/15/2025Frank A. Moran17th Essex1/15/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/7/2025Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/7/2025Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex2/7/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/7/2025Danillo A. Sena37th Middlesex2/7/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/20/2025Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex2/20/2025Marjorie C. Decker25th Middlesex2/20/2025William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/20/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex3/3/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2136 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 820
By Representatives Donaghue of Westborough and Moran of Lawrence, a petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 820) of Kate Donaghue, Frank A. Moran and others for legislation to ensure
access to polling places for voters with disabilities. Election Laws.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 701 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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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 2 of 2
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
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.