An Act relative to state agency phones

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Steven Howitt

Requires state agencies’ outbound calls to the public show a visible, returnable caller ID and prohibits concealed numbers, with compliance rules and 180-day implementation.

Referred to the committee on House Rules

Summary of HD 6222 (Session 194th) – An Act relative to state agency phones

Purpose and intent

Establishes transparency and accountability requirements for outbound telephone calls made by state agencies to members of the public.

Aims to ensure that calls from state-owned phones display a visible and returnable caller identification and prevent the routine use of blocked or concealed numbers.

Key provisions and changes

Definitions:

“Agency”: any executive office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, authority, or other office of the Commonwealth.
“State-owned phone”: any telephone, mobile device, or other telecommunications device owned, leased, operated, or paid for by the Commonwealth or an agency.

Outbound calls to the public:

Any outbound call made from a state-owned phone to a member of the public must transmit a visible and returnable telephone number.

Prohibition on concealed numbers:

Agencies may not knowingly place outbound calls to the public with blocked, restricted, unavailable, anonymous, or otherwise concealed numbers, except when required by law, court order, or for purposes of public safety, criminal investigation, or protection of confidential information.

Compliance and implementation:

Each agency must take reasonable steps to configure its telephone systems to comply with these requirements.
The Executive Office for Administration and Finance may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions.

Effectiveness:

The act takes effect 180 days after the act’s effective date.

Who is affected

All agencies within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (executive offices, departments, boards, commissions, bureaus, divisions, authorities, and other offices) that use state-owned phones for outbound calls to the public.

Technology and telecommunication systems administrators within these agencies responsible for configuring caller ID and call-handling settings.

Procedural and timeline aspects

The bill includes a standard regulatory framework allowing the Executive Office for Administration and Finance to issue implementing rules.

Full compliance timeline: 180 days after the act’s effective date for implementation of the requirements.

As a proposed act, it requires passage by the General Court and signature by the Governor to become law.

Potential impact

Improves transparency by ensuring the public can identify the source of state-originated calls.

Reduces the use of anonymous or blocked numbers in outreach, which may increase trust and response rates from the public.

Increases requirements on state IT/telecom systems to maintain compliant caller ID configurations.

Provides a mechanism for regulations to address any operational or safety exceptions as needed.