The bill permits same-day voter registration, allowing eligible individuals to register to vote by appearing in person at their polling place or an early voting site in their city or town. To register, individuals must provide proof of residence and complete an affidavit confirming their eligibility, including U.S. citizenship and age. Once registered, individuals can vote in that primary or election and remain registered for future elections in line with existing laws. If registrants cannot provide proof of residence at registration, they may vote provisionally but must present proof to the city or town clerk within specified time frames after the election.

This bill creates a Nature for All Fund administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and a 15-member board. The fund is dedicated to developing parks and outdoor spaces, especially in underserved areas, conserving land to safeguard water resources and enhance climate resilience, and achieving environmental justice objectives. The fund may also be used for conserving indigenous cultural lands and ensuring community stewardship. Funds may go to municipalities, regional partnerships, planning entities, watershed associations, land trusts, conservation groups, state agencies, tribal authorities, and other non-profit organizations. The fund will be financed by sales tax revenue from all sales classified as sporting goods, recreational vehicles, and golf courses. The bill allows for the issuance of bonds backed by the Nature for All Trust Fund to finance its initiatives without making them general obligations of the Commonwealth.

Amends zoning law by striking references to "starter home zoning district" from two sentences, thereby limiting those provisions' applicability to the remaining referenced zoning district(s).

This bill allows Massachusetts municipalities to voluntarily adopt local regulations to cap annual rent increases and establish just cause eviction requirements. The bill repeals the current statute limiting local rent control ordinances. Under the bill, municipalities that choose the local option to implement its provisions can limit annual rent increases to the lower of 5% or the change in the Consumer Price Index. Exemptions are provided for certain dwelling units, including those in owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units, units under public regulation, and newly constructed dwellings with certificates of occupancy issued post-January 1, 2021, for a five-year duration.

To adopt these regulations, municipalities must adopt the just causes for eviction set in the law, incorporating actions like nonpayment of rent, refusal to comply with lawful rent increases, significant lease violations, or tenant criminal activity. Additionally, municipalities must submit annual reports to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities detailing the ordinance’s impact, conducted studies, and affected units. Violations of the ordinance are treated as unfair or deceptive practices under chapter 93A of the General Laws, allowing for remedies like restitution and civil penalties.

Preempts local zoning by barring ordinances or by-laws from prohibiting, unreasonably restricting, or requiring a special permit or other discretionary approval for a single-family residence in zoning districts that allow residential uses, when the lot is at least 5,000 square feet, has at least 50 feet of frontage, and has access to public sewer and public water.

Permits reasonable regulations on dimensional setbacks and the bulk and height of structures, allows restrictions or prohibitions on short-term rentals, and authorizes the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to issue guidelines or regulations to administer these provisions.

Authorizes same-day voter registration for all elections and primaries at a voter's precinct polling place, allowing an eligible individual to complete a registration application, present proof of residence-such as a driver's license, lease, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government correspondence, or a current student fee statement-swear an oath, and vote; a registrant without suitable identification may cast a provisional ballot and must return with identification before polls close for a municipal election, within two business days after a state primary, or within six days after a state election.

Excludes annual or special town meetings and prohibits changing party enrollment at a primary under this process; requires the State Secretary to provide polling places access to the statewide voter list and to issue implementing regulations. Amends related provisions to recognize this option while preserving close-of-registration rules for others, requires timely addition of new registrants to voter rolls, and mandates investigation by the Attorney General or the appropriate District Attorney upon credible allegations of illegal registration or multiple voting, with violations punishable under existing election laws. Takes effect January 1, 2028.

Repeals laws governing non-medical marijuana possession, use, distribution, cultivation, and taxation, and continues the medical marijuana program under expanded authority of the Cannabis Control Commission to license, regulate, inspect, and enforce, including licensing independent testing laboratories and issuing home-cultivation guidelines.

Revises possession penalties: for adults 21 and over, possession of 1 ounce or less-and non-advertised, non-remunerated transfers up to 1 ounce-is not subject to arrest, prosecution, penalties, or forfeiture; possession of more than 1 ounce up to 2 ounces is a $100 civil infraction with forfeiture; offenders under 21 are subject to the same civil regime conditioned on completion of a drug awareness program and community service, with noncompliant minors under 18 liable for penalties up to $1,000 and joint parental liability.

Prohibits collateral consequences for possession of 2 ounces or less, excludes such offenses from the Criminal Offender Record Information system, and provides that marijuana use shall not disqualify a person from needed medical procedures, including organ and tissue transplants; preserves laws on operating under the influence, trafficking, and possession over 2 ounces, and authorizes municipalities to regulate or prohibit public consumption.

Directs the Commission to expedite applications from adult-use licensees into the medical program and to permit sale of existing inventories to licensed medical treatment centers; takes effect January 1, 2028.

Overhauls state primaries by replacing party-specific contests with a single all-candidate primary for each office; the two highest vote-getters are deemed nominated and are the only names printed on the state election ballot, and one "Official primary ballot" is open to all voters. Requires the ballot to display each candidate's political party or designation as shown on voter registration and, upon joint request, the words "Endorsed by [party or designation]," and provides at least three specimen ballots per polling place.

Revises nomination and vacancy procedures by requiring the Governor and Lieutenant Governor to file joint nomination papers with a committee of five registered voters to fill vacancies, removing party-enrollment limits on nomination paper signers, filling post-primary vacancies first with the next-highest primary finisher, and directing the State Secretary to break primary ties by lot; updates the definition of "political party." Takes effect January 1, 2028.

Extends the public records law to the General Court and the Office of the Governor by defining agency to include those entities. Creates targeted exemptions for communications between a legislator (or that member's employee, agent, or representative) and constituents when reasonably related to assistance with government-provided benefits or services or interactions with a state or federal agency, and for communications, memoranda, drafts, or other documents relating to developing policy positions of legislators or the Governor.

Exempts declarations, affidavits, and other papers filed by claimants in the Office of the Secretary of Veterans' Services, and related reference records kept by the Secretary, from public records, effective January 1, 2027.

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Includes income surtax revenues deposited into the Education and Transportation Fund in the State Tax Revenues used to calculate the annual state tax revenue limit for fiscal years beginning after June 30, 2027, and strikes a related subparagraph from those calculations.

Redefines the Computed Maximum State Tax Revenues for those fiscal years as prior-year Net State Tax Revenues multiplied by the allowable state tax growth factor.

Reduces personal income tax rates by phasing the tax on Part A income (interest and dividends) and Part B income to 4.00 percent for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2029.

Sets interim rates of 4.67 percent for the tax year beginning January 1, 2027, and 4.33 percent for the tax year beginning January 1, 2028.

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The bill permits same-day voter registration, allowing eligible individuals to register to vote by appearing in person at their polling place or an early voting site in their city or town. To register, individuals must provide proof of residence and complete an affidavit confirming their eligibility, including U.S. citizenship and age. Once registered, individuals can vote in that primary or election and remain registered for future elections in line with existing laws. If registrants cannot provide proof of residence at registration, they may vote provisionally but must present proof to the city or town clerk within specified time frames after the election.

This bill creates a Nature for All Fund administered by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and a 15-member board. The fund is dedicated to developing parks and outdoor spaces, especially in underserved areas, conserving land to safeguard water resources and enhance climate resilience, and achieving environmental justice objectives. The fund may also be used for conserving indigenous cultural lands and ensuring community stewardship. Funds may go to municipalities, regional partnerships, planning entities, watershed associations, land trusts, conservation groups, state agencies, tribal authorities, and other non-profit organizations. The fund will be financed by sales tax revenue from all sales classified as sporting goods, recreational vehicles, and golf courses. The bill allows for the issuance of bonds backed by the Nature for All Trust Fund to finance its initiatives without making them general obligations of the Commonwealth.

This bill allows an inclusionary zoning ordinance or by-laws to be approved by a majority vote (rather than the usual two-thirds vote) if it requires up to 13 percent of housing units to be designated as affordable, does not unduly constrain the production of housing in the impacted area, and includes a density bonus. 

This bill allows Massachusetts municipalities to voluntarily adopt local regulations to cap annual rent increases and establish just cause eviction requirements. The bill repeals the current statute limiting local rent control ordinances. Under the bill, municipalities that choose the local option to implement its provisions can limit annual rent increases to the lower of 5% or the change in the Consumer Price Index. Exemptions are provided for certain dwelling units, including those in owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units, units under public regulation, and newly constructed dwellings with certificates of occupancy issued post-January 1, 2021, for a five-year duration.

To adopt these regulations, municipalities must adopt the just causes for eviction set in the law, incorporating actions like nonpayment of rent, refusal to comply with lawful rent increases, significant lease violations, or tenant criminal activity. Additionally, municipalities must submit annual reports to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities detailing the ordinance’s impact, conducted studies, and affected units. Violations of the ordinance are treated as unfair or deceptive practices under chapter 93A of the General Laws, allowing for remedies like restitution and civil penalties.

Designates the Committee for Public Counsel Services, or its designee, as the employer for collective bargaining purposes for its employees.

Amends collective bargaining provisions to add the Committee for Public Counsel Services to the entities authorized to act as the employer in negotiations, alongside the State Lottery Commission.

Establishes and regulates a new fund entitled the Nature for All Fund, which is to be used exclusively for conserving and improving natural and working lands. Creates a 15-member Nature for All Board; authorizes issuance of special obligation bonds and notes payable solely from Fund revenues.