Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S520 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 925 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 520
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jason M. Lewis, (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 to improve the fairness, and public transparency of all individuals, who may have, and/or
13	13	intersect, with election officials, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Vincent Dixon60 Lake St Apt N Winchester MA 01890 1 of 3
17	17	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 925 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
18	18	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 520
19	19	By Mr. Lewis (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 520) of Vincent Dixon,
20	20	for legislation to improve the fairness, and public transparency of all individuals, who may have,
21	21	and/or intersect, with election officials, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Election Laws.
22	22	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
23	23	SEE SENATE, NO. 426 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 to improve the fairness, and public transparency of all individuals, who may have, and/or
30	30	intersect, with election officials, in the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
31	31	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
32	32	of the same, as follows:
33	33	1 SECTION 1. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the
34	34	2following new chapter:
35	35	3 Election Integrity Qualifications Improvement Act
36	36	4 PURPOSE – It being within the competence, and purposes of The Constitution of
37	37	5Massachusetts, and the laws of The Commonwealth, to accomplish many suitable legal purposes,
38	38	6including the process, and decision making of elections, in such manner, as to provide integrity,
39	39	7transparency, and the following of appropriate qualifications, for the various, and several offices,
40	40	8that may be placed on the ballot, this legislation is established to improve such standards. 2 of 3
41	41	9 While members of political parties, are nominally members, by choice, of quasi-private
42	42	10organizations; insofar as they directly, and indirectly, participate in the process of public, and
43	43	11democratic choice, in our republican system of government, they are performing specific
44	44	12purposes of public law, and purpose.
45	45	13 Further, in the performance of their activities, some such individuals, often participate
46	46	14formally, and/or informally, in the selection of specific public officials, who are compensated as
47	47	15public employees, to conduct the honest, and efficient performance of elections.
48	48	16 SECTION 2. Therefore, it is in the public interest, for such individuals, to have improved
49	49	17qualifications, that will further improve the commitment of political, and electoral officials, and
50	50	18the confidence of voters, and the effectiveness of those operations.
51	51	19 All such persons, as are elected to be members of Massachusetts political party State
52	52	20Committees, and/or members of city ward committees, city committees, and town committees,
53	53	21shall be sworn, or affirmed, into their political party offices, by conventional legal oath, or
54	54	22affirmation, as to their solemn acceptance of following the Constitution, and Laws, faithfully;
55	55	23including respect, following, and carrying out of all electoral laws, and regulations.
56	56	24 Such individuals, shall have the Oath, or Affirmation Of Office, delivered, at their
57	57	25Organizing Meeting, after their election, having been on a public ballot; by the appropriate local
58	58	26official, be they the City Clerk, the Town Clerk, or by another designated official, clearly
59	59	27responsible to such Clerks, such as the Chair of an Election Commission, or Board of Registrars
60	60	28of Voters. 3 of 3
61	61	29 The City Chair, or Town Chair, of a political party, once sworn in, or affirmed, shall be
62	62	30authorized to provide such Oath, or Affirmation, to those individuals subsequently appointed,
63	63	31elected, or otherwise designated, to fill legal vacancies.
64	64	32 A written record, including the signature of those persons taking such Oath, or
65	65	33Affirmation, and the individual administering the oath, shall be established, in a conventional
66	66	34process, as further defined, by appropriate regulations, authorized by the Secretary of State of
67	67	35The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and shall, in fact, accompany conventional records of
68	68	36Organizing Meetings, and names of official members of such political organizations.