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Bill

HD 1802

An Act establishing offices of legislative research and fiscal analysis

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Tricia Farley-Bouvier

Creates legislative research and fiscal analysis offices to give Massachusetts lawmakers independent analytical capacity for evaluating bills before voting.

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Bill Summary · HD 1802

Legislative bill overview

HD 1802 would establish dedicated offices of legislative research and fiscal analysis within the Massachusetts General Court. These offices would provide lawmakers with in-house expertise for analyzing bills, conducting policy research, and evaluating fiscal impacts before legislative votes.

Why is this important

Currently, state legislatures often rely on outside consultants, executive branch agencies, or minimal staff analysis when evaluating complex legislation. Having dedicated legislative research and fiscal analysis offices would give lawmakers independent analytical capacity and potentially improve the quality of legislative decision-making by providing nonpartisan, timely information.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and staffing: Establishing new offices requires budget appropriations and hiring specialized researchers and analysts, which some may view as increasing legislative overhead during tight budget periods
  • Scope of analysis: Disagreement could arise over what types of bills receive analysis and how detailed fiscal projections should be, potentially creating workload challenges
  • Legislative independence vs. coordination: Questions about how these offices interact with the executive branch's fiscal analysts and whether they might duplicate existing analytical capacity elsewhere in state government

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

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