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SD 677

An Act relative to convicted lobbyists and legislative agents

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Ryan Fattman and 1 co-sponsor

Prohibits legislative agents previously convicted of federal or state corruption from lobbying Massachusetts General Court members or their staff.

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 677

Summary of Senate Bill SD 677 — An Act relative to convicted lobbyists and legislative agents

Basic information

  • Bill number: Senate Docket No. 677
  • Title: An Act relative to convicted lobbyists and legislative agents
  • Status: House concurred; referred to the committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
  • Introduced: February 27, 2025
  • Classification: Proposed bill
  • Primary sponsors: Sen. Ryan C. Fattman; Sen. Bruce E. Tarr
  • Related action: Similar matter filed in a prior session (2023-2024) as Senate Docket No. 2646

What the bill aims to do

  • The bill adds a new eligibility bar for legislative agents (lobbyists): individuals who have been previously convicted of federal or state corruption charges would be prohibited from lobbying elected officials of the Massachusetts General Court or their staff.

Key provision (central text)

  • In Section 39 of Chapter 3 of the General Laws (as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition), the bill inserts a new provision after line 148:
    • “No legislative agent previously convicted of federal or state corruption charges shall be permitted to lobby elected officials of the general court or their staff.”

Who would be affected

  • Affected individuals: Legislative agents/lobbyists who have ever been convicted of federal or state corruption charges (as defined under the bill’s scope).
  • Affected entities: Elected officials of the Massachusetts General Court and their staff, who would be restricted from engaging with such disqualified lobbyists.
  • Regulatory/administrative arena: The State Administration and Regulatory Oversight framework, which handles ethics, lobbying, and related oversight.

Potential impact and implications

  • Ethics and integrity: The measure is intended to strengthen public integrity by preventing individuals with corruption convictions from directly influencing lawmakers.
  • Lobbyist pool implications: Could reduce the pool of eligible lobbyists, potentially affecting advocacy strategies and access to policymakers for organizations previously represented by convicted individuals.
  • Enforcement: The bill does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms within the text provided; it creates a prohibition rather than outlining sanctions, reporting requirements, or appeal processes.
  • Scope and definitions: The term “previously convicted” and “corruption charges” are not further defined in the excerpt, nor is there a detailed process for determining eligibility or handling appeals.

Procedural timeline and current status

  • Filed: January 14, 2025
  • Introduced in Senate: February 27, 2025
  • House action: Concurrent action taken on February 27, 2025 (House concurred)
  • Next steps: Referred to the committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight for study and public consideration; potential future votes in the Senate and House after committee review.

Notes for readers

  • The bill provides a concise eligibility bar tied specifically to corruption convictions. Questions that may arise include how “previously convicted” is applied (retroactivity vs. prospective effect), how disputes are resolved, what constitutes a qualifying “corruption charge,” and what, if any, penalties or remedies accompany violations.

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

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