By Representative Day of Stoneham, a petition (subject to Joint Rules 12 and 9) of Michael S. Day for legislation to establish quantum investment and tax incentive programs for certain quantum science research, development, manufacturing or commercialization. Revenue.
SD 509 regulates drone (UAS/UAV) operations in Massachusetts. It prohibits municipalities from creating local drone rules beyond federal or state guidelines, bans armed drones, and restricts drone surveillance without individual consent (with specific law enforcement exceptions for warrants, terrorism threats, or emergencies). The bill imposes fines for violations, including up to $100 for FAA rule breaches, $2,000 for armed drones, and $10,000 for causing aircraft crashes. It also requires law enforcement to delete drone footage within 120 days unless it contains evidence of a crime. This bill directly affects all drone operators, law enforcement agencies, and municipalities.
This bill amends Massachusetts law to regulate unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). It prohibits weaponizing drones or using them to photograph, videotape, or surveil people in places where they expect privacy without their knowledge and consent, or to surveil critical infrastructure facilities (like power plants, water treatment sites, or refineries) without permission. Violations for weaponizing drones carry penalties of 3-20 years in prison or fines up to $50,000. Using drones for unauthorized surveillance of people or infrastructure can result in up to 2.5 years in jail or fines up to $5,000. The law directly affects drone operators who violate these specific restrictions.
HD 2542 regulates drone operations in Massachusetts by prohibiting municipalities from creating their own drone rules (except as allowed by federal law or state regulations). It bans armed drones, requires compliance with FAA rules (with fines up to $100 for violations), and strictly prohibits drone surveillance of private property without consent, with limited law enforcement exceptions for warrants, terrorism threats, or active emergencies. The bill also mandates that law enforcement delete drone footage within 120 days unless it’s evidence in an ongoing investigation. This directly affects all drone operators, local governments, and public safety agencies in Massachusetts.
By Representatives Ramos of Springfield and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1946) of Orlando Ramos, Steven Owens and others for legislation to implement the recommendations of the special commission on facial recognition technology. The Judiciary.
This bill restricts most law enforcement use of facial recognition technology to prevent privacy violations. It prohibits state and local police from acquiring, using, or contracting for facial recognition systems without specific legal authorization, except for limited exceptions like felony warrants, emergencies involving immediate danger, identifying deceased persons, or requests from other agencies with proper authorization. The law requires detailed documentation of all searches, mandates transparency for defendants in criminal cases (including system accuracy data), and requires public reporting of all facial recognition requests. The only exception allowing routine use is for the Registry of Motor Vehicles to verify identities when issuing licenses, with strict limits on sharing that technology.
By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1731) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to promote transparency of facial recognition and driver's license photos. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
This bill creates a pilot program to test using blockchain technology for storing real property ownership records in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative will work with at least one registry of deeds to implement a backup system that runs parallel to the current system, examining how blockchain can support property records and identifying legal barriers. The program must conclude within one year, followed by a report assessing feasibility and advising on potential full deployment, to be submitted to several state legislative committees. The pilot directly affects property record-keeping systems and the entities managing them, without changing existing laws.
By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1731) of Mark C. Montigny for legislation to promote transparency of facial recognition and driver's license photos. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
By Representative Lipper-Garabedian of Melrose, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 87) of Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Natalie M. Blais for legislation to establish and implement a pilot program to examine the use of blockchain technology. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
