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H 1849

An Act relative to archaic laws

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Connolly and 6 co-sponsors

Massachusetts bill directing systematic review and removal of obsolete, outdated, and contradictory state laws to streamline legal code.

Hearing scheduled for 05/06/2025 from 01:00 PM-04:00 PM in A-2
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Bill Summary · H 1849

Legislative bill overview

H.1849 is a Massachusetts bill aimed at identifying and removing archaic, obsolete, or contradictory laws from the state's legal code. The legislation directs a systematic review of Massachusetts statutes to eliminate outdated provisions that are no longer enforced or relevant to modern society. This represents a housekeeping effort to streamline and clarify state law.

Why is this important

Archaic laws can create confusion in the legal system, impose unnecessary compliance burdens, and undermine respect for law when statutes are contradictory or nonsensical. Removing dead letter laws improves legal clarity, reduces administrative complexity, and ensures the code reflects actual contemporary policy. States periodically conduct such reviews to maintain an efficient, coherent legal framework.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and criteria: Disagreement may arise over which laws qualify as "archaic" versus those with legitimate historical or symbolic value that should be retained
  • Unintended consequences: Removing provisions without thorough analysis could inadvertently eliminate protections or legal mechanisms that serve niche but important purposes
  • Legislative capacity: Questions about whether the effort requires significant resources and whether time might be better spent on new legislation addressing current issues

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

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