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S 1273

Prohibits openly carrying a rifle or shotgun

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Cordell Cleare and 6 co-sponsors

Creates a statutory right to appeal Secretary of State and other election-administrative decisions to Massachusetts Superior Court, expanding judicial review of election actions.

REFERRED TO CODES
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Bill Summary · S 1273

Summary — S.1273 (2025): "An Act relative to judicial authority to maintain election integrity"

Status: Introduced (filed 01/17/2025); Referred to The Judiciary.
Primary Senate sponsor (bill text): Bruce E. Tarr.

Note: the bill metadata includes a conflicting short title (“Prohibits openly carrying a rifle or shotgun”) and a list of sponsors that appear to be from other jurisdictions. This summary is based on the bill text filed in the Massachusetts Senate (S.1273), which concerns judicial review of administrative election decisions.

Purpose

To create an explicit, statutory right to appeal administrative decisions made by the Secretary of the Commonwealth or other administrative bodies to the Massachusetts Superior Courts, thereby expanding or clarifying judicial oversight in election-related administrative matters.

Key provisions

  • Amends Section 103 of Chapter 54 of the Massachusetts General Laws by inserting the following sentence at the end of the section:
    • "Administrative decisions made by the Secretary of State or any administrative body may be appealed to the Superior Courts."
  • No other substantive changes, procedural rules, or timelines are specified in the filed text.

Who would be affected

  • Secretary of the Commonwealth and any state or local administrative bodies involved in election administration (e.g., boards of registrars, election commissions).
  • Candidates, political committees, voters, and third parties who are subject to or contest administrative election decisions.
  • Massachusetts Superior Courts, which would receive appeals that under this amendment might previously have been handled administratively or in other courts.

Potential impacts

  • Expands or clarifies access to the Superior Court for review of administrative election decisions, increasing judicial oversight of election administration.
  • May lead to more litigation in Superior Court concerning ballot access, voter registration, administrative interpretations of election law, and other administrative determinations.
  • Could introduce additional time and expense for litigants and the state; depending on court caseload, may delay final resolution of contested administrative actions.
  • Because the bill text is brief, the practical impact would depend on how courts interpret scope, standards of review, and whether statutory or regulatory procedures impose exhaustion or other requirements.

Legislative timeline & procedural notes

  • Filed: 01/17/2025 (Senate Docket No. 2421). Presented by Sen. Bruce E. Tarr.
  • Referred to The Judiciary (02/27/2025). Listed as READ twice and referred to committee in April 2025.
  • Hearing dates appear on the record for 06/03/2025 (scheduling entries vary).
  • Related entries: SD 2421 (replaces), S.9137 (prior session).

Caveats / Discrepancies

  • The bill’s short title shown in the prompt and an unrelated list of sponsors (including federal legislators) conflict with the text of S.1273 in the Massachusetts Senate. This summary treats the Massachusetts filed text as controlling. If you want a version tied to the alternate title or the out-of-state sponsors, please clarify.

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

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