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H 5410

REPORT of the SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE on INITIATIVE PETITIONS on the INITIATIVE PETITION of JOHN A. LIPPITT AND OTHERS FOR THE PASSAGE OF AN ACT TO REFORM AND REGULATE LEGISLATIVE STIPENDS (see House, No. 5010)

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Alice Peisch

The proposal seeks to reform and regulate legislative stipends for Massachusetts lawmakers.

See H5010
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Bill Summary · H 5410

Summary of Initiative Petition H 5410 (194th MA Legislature)

Purpose and intent

  • This is a Massachusetts initiative petition submitted by John A. Lippitt and others, titled: “An Act to Reform and Regulate Legislative Stipends.” The petition seeks to reform and regulate stipends paid to state legislators.
  • The process follows Article 48 of the Massachusetts Constitution, which allows voters to propose laws or constitutional amendments via ballot questions. After signatures, the petition is presented to the Legislature for consideration and referred to a committee (the Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions).

Key provisions and changes proposed

  • The petition would establish rules governing legislative stipends (i.e., stipends paid to members of the Massachusetts General Court).
  • The specific textual provisions of House 5010 are not included in the summary provided, but the title indicates the bill aims to reform and regulate how legislative stipends are determined, paid, and administered.
  • The initiative petition undergoes the standard constitutional initiative process, meaning the Legislature can only approve or reject the petition as submitted (no amendments by the Legislature to the petition itself, per Article 48).

What would be affected

  • Members of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives who receive stipends as part of their compensation.
  • State finances and any mechanisms by which stipends are set, adjusted, or disbursed.
  • Related administrative processes within the Legislature concerning compensation policy.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The Special Joint Committee on Initiative Petitions held a public hearing on March 17, 2026 (Initiative Petition 25-37, House 5010).
  • The Committee conducted additional hearings in March 2026 to gather testimony from supporters, opponents, experts, and the public.
  • The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) issued an advisory opinion on April 27, 2026, concluding that the proposed ballot question is unconstitutional because it regulates legislative procedures rather than establishing a permissible law, placing it outside the scope of an initiative petition.
  • On May 4, 2026, a majority of the Special Joint Committee voted to recommend that the General Court take no action on the petition, effectively ending consideration of this initiative in light of the SJC advisory opinion.
  • The committee’s report notes the constitutional limitation that, given the SJC’s ruling, the petition cannot proceed as an initiative under the ballot process.

Status and recommendation

  • Given the SJC advisory opinion declaring the initiative unconstitutional and not in proper form for submission, the committee recommended that the General Court take no action on H 5410 (House 5010, Initiative Petition 25-37).
  • This means the petition is not advancing toward a ballot question or any legislative final action, under the current constitutional interpretation.

Notable procedural details

  • The committee’s report and public records are publicly accessible (e.g., hearing materials at malegislature.gov).
  • The process reflected a transparent review and an advisory legal ruling from the state’s highest court influencing legislative action on an initiative petition.

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

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