(BOSTON–7/31/2026) The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed legislation that increases residents’ access to information about how decisions are made inside the Legislature and the Governor’s office, along with critical free press protections that allow journalists to protect their sources. 

For the first time, the bill writes into the state public records law that the public has a right to know about key legislative records, such as vote tallies, salaries of elected officials and staff, ethics disclosures, operating expenditures, and contracts. 

The legislation—S.3200, An Act promoting transparency and public access in state government—also opens up access to records created by the Office of the Governor.  

The transparency measure has earned the support of several groups who advocate for greater access to government and the promotion of democracy, including the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, Common Cause Massachusetts, and the ACLU of Massachusetts. 

“Since my election to the Senate, I have been steadfast in my belief that both the Legislature and Governor’s Office should be subject to public records laws. I am proud we have taken a significant step to make that belief a reality by establishing a clear process for residents to obtain timely public records from both branches of government. As a former Select Board member in my community of Foxborough, I saw first-hand how operating under public record laws builds public trust and confidence. With the passage of this legislation, the Legislature and Governor’s Office will have the tools necessary to follow suit and be more responsive to the people we are privileged to serve,” said Senator Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough). 

Building on the legislation’s support for freedom of information, Senators voted unanimously during today’s debate to adopt Amendment 17 guaranteeing legal protections for journalists by allowing them to protect the anonymity of their sources. 

The ‘press shield’ provision would prohibit anyone from compelling a journalist to disclose the identity of a confidential source except under certain qualified circumstances.  

The underlying transparency bill’s process for members of the public to access legislative records is modeled after the legislative record components of Pennsylvania’s ‘Right-to-Know Law.’ 

The bill outlines the process for people to request legislative records, including the assurance of an impartial appeals process. A designated staff member in the Senate or in the House would be required to answer a request within 10 days and share any responsive records. 

Requestors could appeal any denied requests to the Superior Court, independent of the Legislative or Executive branches of government. 

Similarly, people requesting records from the Governor’s office could appeal a decision to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, then to the Superior Court. 

The new public records statutes would take effect at the start of the new term in January 2027. 

Full details of the bill are available online in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room. 

The bill was reported to the full Senate by the Committee on Ways and Means with a 15-0 vote on July 23, 2026. A previous version was passed by the House of Representatives. 

Following public debate today, the Senate passed the bill on a 34-6 roll call vote and sent it back to the House for further consideration. 

Throughout this legislative session, the Senate has worked to increase government accountability and transparency. The Senate has championed rules reforms that resulted in publicly posted committee votes and longer periods of public review before large bills are voted upon. 

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