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Update on the Legislature

The MA Legislature’s formal session ends July 31. Conference committees will continue their work through January 2027. Thanks to your advocacy, we are pleased to report the following legislative wins to date as well as offer an update on where things stand in the final days of the formal session.

LWVMA Legislative Wins To Date

The following bills have been enacted:

    • An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth, or Health Care Shield Act 2.0
    • A joint resolution to rescind all previous legislative calls for an Article V convention to amend the U.S. Constitution
    • PROTECT Act (immigrants’ rights) (July 31!)

    The following bills have passed both chambers and are now in conference committee. Are likely to be enacted before the end of the session:

      • MA Consumer Data Privacy Act (data privacy/location shield)
      • An Act regarding free expression (outlaws book bans)
      • An Act improving campaign finance reporting by state ballot question committees
      • An Act prioritizing patient access to care (abortion decisions between patient and doctor)

      The following measures were included in the FY’26 budget:

        • Immigrant Legal Defense Fund $5M
        • Civics Education $2.5M
        • Access to Counsel $2.5M

        We are advocating for the following measures in the FY’27 budget

          • Immigrant Legal Defense Fund $7M
          • Civics Education $2.5M
          • Access to Counsel $3M
          • Rental Assistant to Families in Transition (RAFT) funding level at $300M

          The following bills passed in Senate and have been sent to House Ways and Means

            • An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products

            For those curious about how our top priorities from Day on the Hill have fared, read below.

            Elections and Voting

            • H834/S505, An Act establishing same day registration of voters
              • STATUS: Sent to study in House; alive in Senate; unlikely to pass. LWVMA supports EDR ballot measure. Stay tuned for updates on how you can get involved in the ballot question campaign.

            Immigration

            • H2580/S1681, An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents (Safe Communities Act)
              • STATUS: Included as part of the PROTECT Act
            • H1588/S1122, An Act relative to immigration detention and collaboration agreements (Dignity not Deportations)
              • STATUS: Immigrants’ rights have morphed into PROTECT Act now in conference committee
            • H1954/S1127, An Act ensuring access to equitable representation in immigration proceedings (Immigrant Legal Defense Fund)
              • STATUS: Funded at $5M in FY26 budget; likely funded at $7M in FY27 budget; also $1M in supplemental budget

            Health Care

            • H2370/S1563, An Act prioritizing patient access to care
              • STATUS: Passed by both chambers and now in conference committee
            • S2543, An Act strengthening health care protections in the Commonwealth
              • STATUS: Enacted

            Good Governance

            • H86/S197 An Act to protect location privacy/An Act to protect safety and privacy by stopping the sale of location data (Location Shield Act)
              • STATUS: Passed as MA Consumer Data Privacy Act in both chambers; in conference committee

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