The proposed bill aims to enhance access to public records by amending existing laws to include more comprehensive definitions and exemptions. Specifically, it modifies Clause Twenty-Sixth of Section 7 of Chapter 4 of the General Laws to clarify that public records include those held by the general court and the office of the governor. Additionally, it introduces new subparagraphs that exempt certain communications between legislators and their constituents, provided these relate to requests for government assistance, as well as documents concerning the development of policy positions by members of the general court or the governor.

Furthermore, the bill revises the definition of "agency" in Section 6A of Chapter 66 to encompass entities identified in the amended Clause Twenty-Sixth, and it removes Section 18 of Chapter 66, which previously addressed the status of declarations and affidavits filed by claimants in the office of the secretary of veterans services. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and is designed to strike a balance between transparency and the need for confidentiality in certain legislative communications.

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