Technology in Massachusetts

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 79: An Act relative to electronic security for the Commonwealth

This bill prohibits the Massachusetts state government and its grant recipients from purchasing or using electronic security equipment made by entities based in China, including the Chinese Communist Party. It requires all state contracts over $500,000 for such equipment to comply with federal security regulations and bans procurement of items listed under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. Grant recipients must replace existing Chinese-made security equipment within 180 days of the law's enactment and submit a replacement plan within 90 days. The law directly affects state agencies, quasi-government entities, and organizations receiving Commonwealth funding.

Topics ✓ Technology

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 90: An Act relative to equity and inclusion in education

This bill (HD 90) requires Massachusetts public schools to implement computer-adaptive assessments for K-12 students in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. It mandates that schools use these assessments annually to track each student's mastery of learning standards, identify their current learning level, and adjust instruction accordingly. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education must establish regulations by July 2023 to personalize learning paths and develop formative assessments by July 2025, expanding the state data system to include individual student assessment results. The bill also updates assessment criteria to ensure they measure specific academic standards and adds a prohibition against age-based discrimination in public school access. These changes directly affect all K-12 public school students and educators across Massachusetts.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Curriculum Testing & Assessment

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 707: An Act relative to protecting sensitive information from security breaches

HD 707 defines new categories of sensitive personal information requiring protection, including biometric data (like fingerprints), genetic information, health insurance details, medical history, and precise geolocation data. It updates the definition of "breach of security" to cover unauthorized access to unencrypted data or encrypted data where keys were compromised, with exceptions for legitimate employee actions. The bill requires organizations experiencing a breach to notify both the Attorney General and Consumer Affairs agency, detailing the compromised data types (e.g., biometric or medical information), and to certify credit monitoring services meet new standards - though medical or geolocation data breaches may exempt the notification requirement. This directly affects businesses, government agencies, and healthcare providers handling residents' personal data in Massachusetts.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1083: An Act to prohibit negative option sales and disclosure of financial and personal information without a consumer’s express agreement

HD 1083 prohibits "negative option" sales where consumers are automatically charged after a trial period unless they actively cancel. It requires sellers to clearly explain all costs, cancellation methods, and deadlines before a trial offer, and to obtain explicit consumer agreement before charging. The bill also bans financial institutions from sharing customers' personal or financial data without their specific permission, with limited exceptions like direct customer authorization. This directly affects consumers by preventing surprise charges and unauthorized data sharing, and impacts businesses (sellers and financial institutions) by mandating clear disclosures and consent.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1222: An Act relative to artificial intelligence disclosure

This bill requires creators of AI-generated content (like text, images, or videos made by tools such as ChatGPT) in Massachusetts to include clear, permanent labels identifying the content as AI-created. It mandates that these labels must be visible and cannot be removed, along with adding metadata showing the AI system used and creation time. The law applies to anyone in Massachusetts using generative AI tools to create or repurpose such content, with fines starting at $500 for first violations. Enforcement falls to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, which can create additional rules to implement the requirements. The goal is to ensure transparency about AI involvement in content creation.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1239: An Act establishing a commission to study quality & accessibility to telehealth

HD 1239 establishes a 10-member commission to study telehealth quality and accessibility for Massachusetts residents. The commission will assess current policies for expanding telehealth access (including out-of-state providers) and evaluate safety/quality standards for providers like doctors and therapists. It will hold public hearings and submit recommendations with draft legislation to the state legislature by December 2026. This bill directly affects residents seeking telehealth services and healthcare providers operating within Massachusetts, but does not change existing telehealth laws itself. The commission includes appointments from the governor, Senate, House, and mental health organizations.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Telehealth

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1831: An Act to increase financial access for all

The Financial Innovative Technologies Act (FIT Act) requires all public high schools in the state to teach financial literacy as a mandatory subject for graduation, covering practical topics like budgeting, credit, investing, retirement planning, and emerging technologies such as cryptocurrencies. It also mandates that broker-dealers and investment advisers follow the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest standard when making recommendations to retail customers. The law integrates these lessons into existing subjects like math and social studies to equip students with skills for financial stability. Currently, 22 states have similar graduation requirements for financial literacy education.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Curriculum

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2268: An Act regulating insurance coverage for testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles and establishing school zone safety protocol

This bill establishes insurance requirements for autonomous vehicles (AVs) operating in Massachusetts, mandating coverage for general liability, product defects, cybersecurity risks, and pedestrian safety. It requires AVs in school zones to automatically reduce speed to 15 mph via location technology, detect pedestrians within 50 feet, and halt when school buses display stop signals. Testing is prohibited during school hours unless authorized with enhanced monitoring. The law also creates a state insurance pool for AV companies, sets fines up to $50,000 for noncompliance, and mandates public safety reporting on AV incidents.

Topics ✓ Technology ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Cybersecurity Autonomous Vehicles Pedestrian Safety

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2542: An Act relative to unmanned aerial systems

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.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Emerging Technology

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2437: An Act relative to establishing a workforce training trust fund for emerging technologies

HD 2437, titled "An Act relative to establishing a workforce training trust fund for emerging technologies," is a draft bill currently under review by House Counsel. The provided context does not include the full text or specific provisions of the bill, so details about its mechanisms, who it directly affects, or concrete policy changes cannot be confirmed. Without finalized language, a summary of the trust fund's structure, funding sources, or targeted industries is unavailable. Please provide the completed bill text for an accurate summary.

Topics ✓ Technology

All technology bills