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HD 4826

An Act authorizing the city of Cambridge to expand the options available to issue notices of violation for parking enforcement above the limits set forth in M.G.L. C. 90, §20A½ or other applicable state laws

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Marjorie Decker

Cambridge may issue parking notices by mail or via ALPR, expanding enforcement beyond on-vehicle notices and requiring evidence such as photos for each violation.

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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HD 4826

Summary: House Bill HD 4826 – Cambridge Parking Notices Expansion

Purpose and intent

  • This bill authorizes the City of Cambridge to expand how notices of violation for parking enforcement can be issued, beyond the current options in M.G.L. Chapter 90, Section 20A½ and other state laws.
  • Specifically, it adds two new avenues for issuing notices: (a) mailing notices when an on-vehicle delivery is not possible, and (b) using automated license plate reader (ALPR) systems or similar technologies to detect and issue notices.

Key provisions

Section 1 — Expanded mailing authority

  • If a notice cannot be delivered by affixing it to the violator’s vehicle, Cambridge may mail the notice within 10 days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to the registrant’s last-recorded address in the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, or to the appropriate official address for out-of-state or foreign registrations.
  • A notice mailed in this manner is deemed sufficient notice, and a certificate of mailing is prima facie evidence of mailing and admissible in judicial or administrative proceedings.

Section 2 — ALPR and similar technologies

  • Cambridge may issue notices via ALPR or similar parking monitoring technologies, in addition to existing methods.
  • Photographs or data detected by ALPR or similar systems that are transmitted to enforcement officers constitute cognizance of a violation under the law.

Section 3 — Manner of issuing ALPR notices

  • Notices issued via ALPR must follow the same mailing procedures described in Section 1.

Section 4 — Evidence obligation

  • Every notice must be supported by evidence of the alleged violation, including photographs, monitoring data, or other evidence from the enforcement officer or the ALPR system.

Section 5 — Effective date

  • The act takes full effect upon passage.

Who and what is affected

  • Affected: The City of Cambridge and its parking enforcement officers.
  • Stakeholders: Vehicle registrants (in-state and out-of-state), vehicle owners cited for parking violations, and any party defending against such notices.
  • The bill does not repeal existing notice methods but adds additional authorized modalities.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Franchise/approval: Local approval was noted (Cambridge’s acceptance). The bill is framed as a proposal for the 2025-2026 General Court session.
  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment (as stated in Section 5).

Potential impact and considerations

  • Enforcement reach: Cambridge could issue more notices by mail and via ALPR, potentially increasing collection of parking penalties.
  • Due process and privacy: Use of ALPR raises considerations around privacy, data handling, retention, and the accuracy of issued notices.
  • Administrative requirements: Implementation would require systems for evidence capture, verification, and maintaining ties to registrant addresses, including out-of-state registrations.
  • Fiscal effects: Not specified in the text, but could involve costs related to ALPR deployment, record-keeping, and staff training.

Note on status

  • Introduced to the General Court for the 2025-2026 session; Local approval indicated; The prompt lists the introduction date as November 29, 2025, with accompanying filing in June 2025. The bill’s status is not provided beyond these notes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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