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Bill

S 520

SC Pray Safe Act

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tom Davis

The bill requires sworn oaths and keeps written records for all Massachusetts political party committee members to strengthen election integrity and accountability.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 520

Summary — S.520 (Massachusetts)

Short title shown in text: Supporting the Abused by Learning Options to Navigate Survivor Stories Act (SALONS Stories Act)

Overview / Purpose

S.520 would create a new chapter titled the "Election Integrity Qualifications Improvement Act" in the Massachusetts General Laws. The stated purpose is to strengthen integrity, transparency, and publicly accountable qualifications for individuals who serve on political party bodies that participate in selecting or otherwise interfacing with public election officials. The bill requires formal oaths/affirmations and written records for political party committee members and establishes administrative responsibility for maintaining those records.

Note: The bill heading provided in the request (referring to ovarian cancer survivor screening rights) does not match the bill text. The text of S.520 as filed in the Massachusetts Senate concerns election-related qualifications and oath requirements.

Key provisions

  • Creates a new statutory chapter, the "Election Integrity Qualifications Improvement Act."
  • Requires that all persons elected to Massachusetts political party State Committees, city ward committees, city committees, and town committees be sworn or affirmed to an Oath/Affirmation of Office at their organizing meeting after election from a public ballot.
  • Specifies officials authorized to administer the oath: the City Clerk, Town Clerk, or another designated official responsible to those clerks (e.g., Chair of an Election Commission or Board of Registrars of Voters).
  • Allows the City or Town Chair of a political party, once sworn in, to administer the oath/affirmation to individuals later appointed, elected, or designated to fill vacancies.
  • Requires creation and retention of a written record containing signatures of those taking the oath and the official administering it.
  • Directs the Secretary of the Commonwealth to adopt regulations further defining the process; the records are to accompany conventional organizing meeting records and official membership lists.

Who would be affected

  • Members of political party bodies (state, city ward, city, and town committees) in Massachusetts.
  • Local election administrators (City/Town Clerks, Boards of Registrars, election commission chairs) who would administer oaths and maintain records.
  • The Secretary of the Commonwealth, which would promulgate implementing regulations.
  • Voters and the public indirectly, through increased formalization and recordkeeping of party officials who interact with election administration.

Procedural status (selected milestones provided)

  • Introduced in the Massachusetts Senate: 01/15/2025 (Senate Docket No. 925); presented by Senator Jason M. Lewis (by request); petitioned by Vincent Dixon.
  • Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary: 02/11/2025.
  • Referred to the Committee on Election Laws: 02/27/2025.
  • Reported and committed to Finance: 03/11/2025.
  • Passed the Senate and delivered to the House/Assembly: 06/04/2025.
  • Referred to the Committee on Health in the Assembly: 06/04/2025.
  • Hearing scheduled (per materials): 06/17/2025, 1:00–5:00 PM (location B-1).
  • Other committee and rules actions noted in the provided record (e.g., discharge, third reading ordering).

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Expected to increase transparency and create an official, auditable record of who holds party committee offices that may influence election administration.
  • Adds administrative responsibilities at the local level (oath administration, recordkeeping) and may require resources or regulation guidance from the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
  • Could formalize accountability for party officials who perform public-facing election functions; enforcement mechanisms and penalties (if any) are not specified in the text provided.
  • Implementation details (form of oath, retention period, public access to records) would be determined by subsequent regulations.

Notes / inconsistencies

  • The bill text and docket describe a Massachusetts state-law change focused on election procedures. The bill title in your initial summary (about ovarian cancer screening rights) appears to be unrelated to the text filed.
  • The detailed sponsor list submitted alongside this request includes multiple federal and out-of-state names that do not align with the Massachusetts filing; the official filing identifies Senator Jason M. Lewis (by request) and petitioner Vincent Dixon.

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

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