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Bill

HD 2113

An Act relative to municipal lobbying

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Kate Donaghue

Massachusetts bill requiring municipal employees and contractors to register and disclose lobbying activities to increase transparency in municipal advocacy spending.

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Bill Summary · HD 2113

Legislative bill overview

HD 2113 establishes new regulatory requirements and transparency measures for municipal lobbying activities in Massachusetts. The bill requires municipal employees and contractors who engage in lobbying efforts to register and disclose their activities, similar to existing state-level lobbying disclosure requirements.

Why is this important

Municipal governments spend significant public resources on lobbying state legislators for funding, legislative changes, and policy priorities. Currently, there is limited transparency about who is lobbying on behalf of municipalities and how much is being spent, making it difficult for taxpayers and legislators to assess potential conflicts of interest or understand municipal advocacy spending.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition and scope: Disagreement over what activities constitute "lobbying" and whether routine municipal communications with state officials should require registration
  • Administrative burden: Concerns that compliance requirements could overwhelm smaller municipalities with limited staff resources and increase municipal costs
  • Privacy and access restrictions: Debate about whether disclosure requirements appropriately balance transparency interests against confidentiality in contract negotiations and sensitive municipal matters
  • Enforcement mechanisms: Questions about which agency would enforce compliance and whether penalties would be proportionate

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

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