Question 1Public records for the Legislature and Governor's office
Read the full text of the measure: Information for Voters page for this question
In plain words
Makes most records of the state Legislature and the Governor's office open to the public under the state Public Records Law. (sec.state.ma.us )
Before and after
| Today | If YES wins | |
|---|---|---|
| What the rule is | The Legislature and the Governor's office are not covered by the Public Records Law in the same way as other state bodies. | Most of their records would be public. Two kinds of records stay private: papers about developing public policy, and messages between lawmakers and residents asking for help with benefits, services, or a government agency. |
Numbers from the official ballot title (ballot title ); also see
Example
Illustration only: a reporter asks for a state senator's office records about a past vote. Under a YES result, many of those records could be requested under the public records law. (sec.state.ma.us )
Biggest change
- Legislature and Governor's office covered by the Public Records Law source: sec.state.ma.us
- Exemption for records about developing public policy source: sec.state.ma.us
- Exemption for constituent requests for help with benefits, services, or agencies source: sec.state.ma.us
Who it affects most: People who request government records, lawmakers and their staff, the Governor's office.
Cost to the state: The Executive Office of Administration and Finance says the law has no clear material cost to state or local budgets.
Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.
What your vote means
Most records of the Legislature and Governor's office become public under the Public Records Law.
No change to the Public Records Law.
Our one-line summary. The state's Information for Voters booklet has the official statements of what a YES and a NO vote would do.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why this is on the ballot
Voters put this on the ballot by signing a petition. It changes a state law, which lawmakers can later change. It passes with more YES than NO votes, and YES votes from at least 30% of all voters who cast a ballot.
- The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions did not support the petition; its majority report raised concerns about the policy-development and constituent exemptions. source: sec.state.ma.us
Why supporters want it
- Official argument by Diana DiZoglio, Committee for Transparency and Democracy: Massachusetts ranks among the least open states; this puts the Legislature and Governor's office under the same records law as other government bodies; protects constituent privacy; no cost to taxpayers (a proponent claim). source: sec.state.ma.us
Why opponents object
- No organized group urged a NO vote. The Secretary of the Commonwealth wrote this argument, partly from the Legislature's majority committee report; it does not reflect the Secretary's opinion. Points: the policy-development exemption is broad and not clearly defined and could chill lawmakers' talks and raise speech-and-debate constitutional concerns; the constituent exemption is narrow and could leave other resident letters open, which could discourage people from contacting lawmakers. source: sec.state.ma.us
Who backs each side
- Committee for Transparency and Democracy (Diana DiZoglio) source: sec.state.ma.us
In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.
What you will see on your ballot
Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)
The official ballot title, word for word from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Information for Voters .
Question 1: Law Proposed by Initiative Petition. Expanding the Public Records Law
Do you approve of a law summarized below, on which no vote was taken by the Senate or the House of Representatives before May 6, 2026?
YES
NO
Official summary by the Attorney General (tap to open)
This proposed law would make most records held by the Legislature and the Office of the Governor public records under the Massachusetts Public Records Law. This proposed law would exempt documents related to the development of public policy and communications between legislators and their constituents, if those communications are reasonably related to a constituent's request for assistance in obtaining government-provided benefits or services or interacting with a government agency.(sec.state.ma.us )
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