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S 504

Relates to authorizing school officials to temporarily retain custody of a suspected abused or maltreated child

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Tony Palumbo

MA would require regular accessibility inspections of polling places and early voting sites, prompt corrective plans, and enforcement to boost access for voters with disabilities.

REFERRED TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
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Bill Summary · S 504

Summary — S.504 (2025): “An Act enforcing accessibility for voters with disabilities”

Note on metadata: The bill text and Senate docket show S.504 (presented by Sen. Cynthia Stone Creem) amends Massachusetts election law to strengthen polling‑place accessibility for voters with disabilities. Some provided metadata (alternate title, sponsor names, and committee referrals) is inconsistent with the bill text/docket; the summary below follows the bill language and docket information.

Purpose

Require regular inspections and stronger enforcement to ensure polling places and early voting sites in Massachusetts comply with federal and state laws and the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s polling‑place accessibility regulations, thereby improving access for voters with disabilities.

Key provisions

  • Adds new Section 24A to Chapter 54 of the General Laws.
  • Inspection requirement: an agent of the Secretary of the Commonwealth must inspect each polling place (designated under section 24) and each early voting site (designated under section 25B(b)) at least once every four years.
  • Reporting failures: the inspecting agent must promptly and specifically report in writing to the Secretary and the local city/town clerk any failure to comply with state or federal accessibility laws.
  • Local response: the responsible local officials must take immediate action to ensure access and, within 5 days, submit a written plan to the Secretary describing how they will come into compliance.
  • Secretary enforcement: if a city or town fails to act or to submit a plan, the Secretary may order the jurisdiction to comply with the law.
  • Attorney General enforcement: the Attorney General may bring a civil action in Superior Court to enforce accessibility requirements, a required plan, or a Secretary’s order.
  • Annual reporting: the Secretary must report to the clerks of the Senate and House by December 31 each year on activities under this section.
  • Preservation of other remedies: the section does not limit judicial remedies available to any person, official, commission, or board.

Who is affected

  • Voters with disabilities (will benefit from improved access)
  • Local election officials, city/town clerks, and municipalities (responsible for remediating accessibility failures)
  • Secretary of the Commonwealth (responsible for inspections, orders, and annual reporting)
  • Attorney General (authorized to litigate to enforce compliance)
  • Polling places and early voting sites statewide

Timelines & deadlines

  • Inspections: at least once every four years per site
  • Local compliance plan: submitted within 5 days of an inspection report of noncompliance
  • Annual report by Secretary: due each year by December 31

Enforcement & remedies

  • Administrative: Secretary may order compliance if localities fail to act
  • Civil enforcement: AG may sue in Superior Court
  • Private/judicial remedies: preserved (section does not limit other legal actions)

Procedural status (as provided)

  • Introduced in the Massachusetts Senate (filed 01/14/2025; bill no. 504)
  • Read twice and referred to committee (various referrals listed in provided metadata, including Election Laws, Finance, Children and Families)
  • Hearing scheduled 09/16/2025 (per provided schedule)
  • Reported favorably by committee and referred to Senate Ways & Means (11/24/2025) — per provided legislative actions

If you want, I can (1) produce a one‑page fact sheet for municipal clerks and election officials summarizing required actions and timelines, or (2) extract the exact statutory cross‑references (section 24 and 25B(b)) for legal review.

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

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