SD 1110, the Massachusetts Judicial Security Act, protects judges and their immediate family members by restricting the public sharing of their personal information. It prohibits state agencies, municipalities, and data brokers from publishing or selling judges' home addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses without written permission. The law requires any entity holding such information to remove it from public view within 72 hours of a written request from a protected individual (defined as current or retired judges at state or federal levels). Violations can result in lawsuits seeking removal of the information and payment of legal fees. This directly affects judicial personnel and their families by giving them control over their personal data.
This bill creates a task force to explore replacing gas taxes with mileage-based fees for road funding. It directs Massachusetts to develop a pilot program testing technology that charges drivers based on miles traveled, including privacy protections and data security measures. The pilot will involve 1,000 volunteers across vehicle types and regions for at least one year, with participants refunded for fuel tax payments. The task force must gather public input through hearings and report findings to the legislature within three years, including feasibility analysis and recommendations for permanent implementation.
HD 301 requires local governments to refer cable license violations to the state Department of Telecommunications and Cable for review. It mandates that the department must approve any settlement agreement between a local government and a cable company, but it cannot approve agreements that don't serve the best interests of cable customers. The bill directly affects cable companies (licensees) and their subscribers by adding state oversight to local enforcement actions. This creates a formal process to ensure settlements protect customers' interests when cable service agreements are disputed.
SD 230, titled "An Act relative to access to a decedent's electronic mail accounts," creates clear rules for managing a deceased person's digital accounts. It allows users to specify access preferences for their digital assets (like email) through online tools or legal documents (wills/trusts), which override standard service terms. Fiduciaries (such as executors or conservators) can access accounts if users provided no preference, by petitioning a court - unless federal law or bad faith blocks it. The law applies to Massachusetts residents' accounts and excludes work-related digital assets used in business.
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.
SD 545, titled "An Act protecting public higher education student information," prevents public and municipally owned colleges and universities from being required to share student education records - including directory information as defined by federal privacy law - with non-governmental entities. The bill amends state law to clarify that institutions are not obligated to produce such records for non-governmental requests, while still allowing disclosure to federal, state, or local government agencies. This directly affects how public higher education institutions handle student data requests from outside organizations. The law does not alter federal privacy requirements but adds a state-level restriction on sharing with non-governmental parties.
This bill amends Massachusetts law to explicitly include "digitization of documents considered historic resources" in the definition of "Preservation" under community preservation funds. It allows local communities to use these funds for converting historic documents into digital formats to preserve their information content. This directly affects municipalities and organizations managing historic resources that receive community preservation funding. The key change expands eligible uses of these funds to cover digital preservation methods, ensuring historical information remains accessible.
This bill prohibits grocery stores and food departments (defined as locations selling 100+ food items) from adjusting prices or suggesting items based on biometric data (like fingerprints or voiceprints) collected on their premises. It directly affects retailers that use such data for pricing or product recommendations. The law allows voluntary biometric identity verification at checkout but bans all other use of biometric data for personalized pricing. Violations are treated as unfair business practices under Chapter 93A, with penalties of actual damages or $5,000 per violation.
HD 2042 updates how government entities must publish legal notices required by law. It allows municipalities, state agencies, and others to publish notices via print newspapers, newspaper websites, statewide digital repositories, or local city/town websites - not just traditional print. The bill also clarifies that minor technical errors (like website outages) won’t invalidate a notice if it appears correctly elsewhere online. Additionally, it permits cities/towns to publish public hearing notices exclusively on official websites instead of print. This change modernizes notice requirements while ensuring digital publications meet legal standards.
HD 2307 would create a mobile driver's license system in Massachusetts, allowing residents to store their driver's license information on their smartphones as an electronic credential. This mobile option would be available in addition to, not instead of, a physical license, and would require the Registry of Motor Vehicles to establish a system meeting national standards for security and privacy. Key provisions include requiring consent for data use, limiting what entities can collect from the mobile license, and maintaining the requirement for drivers to carry a physical license while operating a vehicle. The bill does not change existing requirements for law enforcement to request a physical license upon contact.
