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S 527

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2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Billy Garrett

The bill would require the state to reimburse cities and towns for specific mandated early voting costs, with annual cost estimates, budget requests, and funding disbursement.

Introduced and adopted
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Bill Summary · S 527

Summary — S. 527: An Act Relative to Early Voting Cost Reimbursements

Overview / Purpose

S. 527 (filed Jan. 17, 2025; introduced Feb. 11, 2025 by Senator Rebecca L. Rausch) would require the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse cities and towns for incremental, mandated costs associated with providing early voting. The amendment inserts a new subsection (l) into section 25B of chapter 54 of the General Laws to specify the types of early voting costs to be paid by the state and to set an annual process for estimating, budgeting, and distributing those funds.

Key provisions

  • Adds subsection (l) to G.L. c.54, §25B obligating the Commonwealth to pay each city and town "an amount sufficient to defray the mandated costs" imposed by the section related to early voting.
  • Explicitly enumerates reimbursable costs, including:
    • Additional personnel hired to staff mandated early voting polling locations;
    • Hourly municipal staff working outside normal business hours to staff early voting locations;
    • Overtime for hourly municipal staff for setup/takedown of early voting locations;
    • Overtime for hourly municipal staff for inputting voter data into the Secretary of State’s Voter Registration Information System (VRIS);
    • Cost of voting booths and privacy screens.
  • Annual fiscal estimation and budgeting timeline:
    • By September 15 each year, the State Auditor must determine and deliver to the Secretary of the Commonwealth a statement of incremental costs estimated for each city and town for the next fiscal year.
    • The Secretary shall include a request for an appropriation equal to those estimated costs in his/her budget recommendations.
    • If funds are appropriated, the Secretary shall distribute each municipality’s share not more than 30 days prior to the date the costs will be incurred.
  • Funds distributed are to be deposited into the municipality’s general fund and may be expended to meet the early voting costs “without further appropriation” by the city or town.

Who is affected

  • Municipal governments (all cities and towns in Massachusetts) — receive reimbursement and must account for early voting costs.
  • Municipal election staff and hourly employees — their overtime and hours are among reimbursable costs.
  • Secretary of the Commonwealth — must include requested appropriations and distribute funds.
  • State Auditor — must prepare annual cost estimates.
  • State budget/legislature — must appropriate the funds identified in the Secretary’s budget request.

Fiscal & implementation notes

  • The bill aims to shift the fiscal burden of mandated early voting costs from localities to the state, contingent on an appropriation.
  • Reimbursements are tied to the annual budget process; if the Legislature does not appropriate the requested amount, municipalities may not receive full reimbursement despite the statutory language.
  • Deposited funds are available to municipalities without need for local appropriation votes.

Legislative status (selected actions)

  • Filed: 01/17/2025 (Senate Docket No. 2129)
  • Introduced/Read twice and referred: 02/11/2025
  • Referred to committees (Judiciary; Election Laws; Education entries appear in record)
  • Hearing scheduled: 06/17/2025 (per calendar)
  • Reported favorably by committee and referred to Senate Ways & Means: 07/31/2025
  • Placed on Senate calendar: 04/10/2025 (Calendar No. 42)

Considerations / Potential impacts

  • If enacted and funded, municipalities would be relieved of specified early voting costs, improving budget predictability for local governments.
  • The actual fiscal effect on the state depends on the Auditor’s estimates and whether the Legislature appropriates the requested amounts.
  • The statute ties reimbursement timing to distribution “not more than 30 days” before costs are incurred, which aims to ensure municipalities receive funds in advance but requires timely state action.

For full text and exact statutory insertion, see S. 527 (filed Jan. 17, 2025) amending G.L. c.54, §25B by adding subsection (l).

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

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