Question 1, Public Records Requirements for Legislature and Governors Office Initiative
Massachusetts Ballot Measure - Question 1
Election: Nov. 3, 2026 (General)
Outcome: Pending
Categories:
Government OperationsSummary
Question 1 would make records held by the state legislature and the governor's office public records. As of 2026, books, papers, financial statements, and other documents held by government agencies are considered public records and are subject to the access requirements in Massachusetts law, but documents held by the state legislature and the governor's office are exempt from this requirement.
Question 1 includes two exceptions for types of documents held by the state legislature and the governor's office that would not be subject to the public record law. Those include:
- documents related to the development of policy positions of legislators or the governor; and
- communications between a legislator's office and their constituents concerning a constituent's access to government services.
Measure Text
Be it enacted by the People, and by their authority:
An Act to Improve Access to Public Records
SECTION 1.
The first paragraph of Clause Twenty-Sixth of Section 7 of Chapter 4 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the words chapter 32 the following phrase or by the general court, or by the office of the governor of the commonwealth, .
SECTION 2.
Said Clause Twenty-Sixth of Section 7 of Chapter 4 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by inserting the following new subparagraphs following subparagraph (v):-
(w) communications between a member of the general court, or such members employee, agent, or representative, and any constituent of such member; provided, however, that the
communications reasonably relate to a constituents request for assistance in obtaining government-provided benefits or services or otherwise interacting with a state or federal agency.
(x) communications, memoranda, drafts or other documents relating to developing policy positions of members of the general court or the governor of the commonwealth.
SECTION 3.
The third sentence of the first paragraph of Section 6A of Chapter 66 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking said third sentence and inserting in place thereof the following:-
For the purposes of this chapter the term "agency" shall mean any entity, other than a municipality, that is identified in clause twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4 as possessing "public records," as defined therein, including the general court and the office of the governor of the commonwealth.
SECTION 4.
Section 18 ofChapter 66 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking said Section 18 and inserting in place thereof the following:-
Section 18. Declarations, affidavits and other papers filed by claimants in the office of the secretary of veterans services or records kept by the secretary for reference by the officials of their office, shall not be considered public records for the purposes of this chapter.
SECTION 5.
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.
Resources
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