Technology

This bill appropriates $1 million in state funds to cover technology, records management, and personnel costs for the governor's office, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and joint legislative operations. It amends state law to allow the state auditor to review specific administrative functions of the legislature, such as official budgets, audits, and financial settlements, while explicitly excluding legislative deliberations and other constitutional duties from such reviews. The legislation defines these administrative functions and audit procedures to ensure transparency in how legislative branches manage their finances and operations.

This bill establishes a multi-year funding program administered by the Executive Office of Economic Development to support various sectors of the Massachusetts economy. The legislation allocates millions of dollars in grants to private businesses for constructing green facilities, developing artificial intelligence technologies, and creating new jobs, while also providing funds for defense innovation, food science, robotics research, and local downtown revitalization. A key requirement for most grants is that they must be awarded in a way that promotes geographic equity across the state. The funds are available until June 30, 2036, and can be administered by the executive office or contracted to existing state agencies.

Senate, September 25, 2025 -- Text of the Senate Bill establishing the Massachusetts data privacy act (being the text of Senate document 2608, printed as amended)

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.