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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 467 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2099
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
James B. Eldridge
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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 to provide sunlight to state government.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and WorcesterPatricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex2/11/2025Mike Connolly26th Middlesex2/11/2025Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/11/2025Chynah Tyler7th Suffolk2/27/2025John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth2/27/2025 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 467 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2099
By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2099) of James B. Eldridge,
Patricia D. Jehlen, Mike Connolly, Erika Uyterhoeven and other members of the General Court
for legislation to provide sunlight to state government. Rules of the two branches, acting
concurrently.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1963 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 to provide sunlight to state government.
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 35 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “court”, in line 2, the following
3words:- 2 weeks before the hearing
4 SECTION 2. Said section 35 of said chapter 3, as so appearing, is hereby further
5amended by adding the following 4 paragraphs:-
6 If public testimony is being solicited, the legislative committee’s agenda shall include an
7electronic mail address and physical mail address for the submission of testimony. The senate
8and house clerk shall publish such information on the official website of the general court. 2 of 2
9 Said public testimony received by the legislative committee that is readily capable of
10being reproduced shall be made available to the public upon request; provided, however, that the
11legislative committee may redact public testimony that includes sensitive personal information or
12information that may jeopardize the health, wellness or safety of an individual.
13 If the legislative committee solicits expert testimony, the legislative committee shall
14make reasonable efforts to promote the diversity of expert witness panels. For purposes of this
15section and section 35A, a legislative committee shall mean a joint committee, a committee
16consisting exclusively of senate or house members or a special commission that is chaired by a
17member of the general court.
18 SECTION 3. Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section
1935 the following section:-
20 Section 35A. The senate and house clerks shall post all recorded votes of each member of
21a legislative committee on the website of the general court as soon as practicable but no later
22than 48 hours of the vote being taken; provided, however, that in the 2 weeks before the
23conclusion of all formal business of the first annual session of the general court or the 2 weeks
24before the conclusion of the second annual session of the general court the clerk shall post all
25recorded votes as soon as practicable.
26 SECTION 4. Subclause 26 of section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in
27the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the figure “32,” in line 157, the
28following words:- or office of the governor
29 SECTION 5. Section 4 shall apply to records of the office of the governor created or
30received after noon on January 5, 2026.