An Act relative to civil rights and technology
This bill amends Massachusetts law to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and operation of robotic devices equipped with weapons, while allowing exceptions for law enforcement, the military, and specific testing or educational uses. It establishes strict penalties for violating these rules, including mandatory prison sentences without the possibility of probation or parole, and criminalizes using such robots to threaten, harass, or physically restrain individuals. Additionally, the legislation requires law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before deploying armed robots on private property or for surveillance, mandates quarterly public reporting on their use, and grants individuals the right to sue for damages if the law is violated.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced May 20, 2026
Last action May 21, 2026
Floor votes · House May 20, 2026
How they voted
151–1
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 154
May 20, 2026
D
Democratic128
98% Yea
I
Independent1
100% Yea
R
Republican25
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
8
Key actions
2
Committee
2
May 21, 2026
Committee
Read; and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
upper
May 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed to be engrossed - 155 YEAS to 1 NAYS (See YEA and NAY No. 195 )
lower
May 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from the committee on House Ways and Means
lower
0 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
No sponsor information available.
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