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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 939 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 516 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | John F. Keenan |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act to protect democracy. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John F. KeenanNorfolk and PlymouthJames K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/11/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester3/6/2025 1 of 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 939 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 516 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 516) of John F. Keenan, James K. |
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| 19 | 19 | | Hawkins and Michael O. Moore for legislation to protect democracy. Election Laws. |
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| 20 | 20 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 21 | 21 | | _______________ |
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| 22 | 22 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | An Act to protect democracy. |
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| 26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 27 | 27 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 56 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting, after |
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| 29 | 29 | | 2section 48, the following section:- |
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| 30 | 30 | | 3 Section 48A. Protecting Poll Workers |
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| 31 | 31 | | 4 (a) Terms used in this section shall be construed as follows, unless a contrary intention |
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| 32 | 32 | | 5clearly applies:- |
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| 33 | 33 | | 6 “Election worker” shall apply to any person working full time, part time or under |
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| 34 | 34 | | 7contract, whether paid or unpaid, for the commonwealth of Massachusetts or any municipality |
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| 35 | 35 | | 8and who is performing duties and activities in connection with, and in the furtherance of, the |
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| 36 | 36 | | 9administration of elections as contained in chapters 50 to 56 inclusive. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 10 “Election duties” shall apply to duties and responsibilities required or authorized by law |
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| 38 | 38 | | 11to administer and conduct elections as provided in chapters 50 through 56 inclusive. 2 of 3 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 12 “Family members” shall apply to an election worker’s spouse, child, parent, or any |
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| 40 | 40 | | 13person residing in their same household. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 14 “Personal information” shall apply to an election worker’s home address, personal phone |
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| 42 | 42 | | 15number(s), personal email address, personal motor vehicle, motor vehicle number plate, |
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| 43 | 43 | | 16photograph and image of the election worker, their home and motor vehicle. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 17 (b) It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly harass, threaten, coerce or intimidate or |
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| 45 | 45 | | 18attempt to harass, threaten, coerce or intimidate an election worker with the intent to impede or |
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| 46 | 46 | | 19interfere with them while they are engaged in the performance of their duties or with the intent to |
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| 47 | 47 | | 20retaliate against the election worker on account of the election worker’s performance of their |
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| 48 | 48 | | 21official duties. |
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| 49 | 49 | | 22 The conduct or acts described in this section shall include, but not be limited to, conduct |
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| 50 | 50 | | 23or acts conducted in person, by gesture, verbally, by mail and by use of a telephonic and |
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| 51 | 51 | | 24telecommunication device and electronic communication device including, but not limited to, |
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| 52 | 52 | | 25any device that transfers signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data and intelligence of any |
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| 53 | 53 | | 26nature transmitted in whole and in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo electronic and |
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| 54 | 54 | | 27photo optical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet communications, cell |
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| 55 | 55 | | 28phone communications, instant messages and facsimile communications. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 29 (c) It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly make available on the internet personal |
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| 57 | 57 | | 30information about an election worker or family members of an election worker if the |
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| 58 | 58 | | 31dissemination of personal information promotes harassment, threats, coercion and intimidation or |
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| 59 | 59 | | 32poses an imminent and serious threat to the safety of the election worker or their family member. 3 of 3 |
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| 60 | 60 | | 33 (d) Whoever shall be guilty of the crime under this section shall be punished by |
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| 61 | 61 | | 34imprisonment for not more than four years or by a fine of not more than $10,000 or both. |
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| 62 | 62 | | 35 (e) Whoever, after having been convicted of the crime under this section, commits a |
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| 63 | 63 | | 36second or subsequent such crime under this section, shall be punished by imprisonment for not |
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| 64 | 64 | | 37more than ten years or by a fine of not more than $25,000 or both. |
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