by Richard Moore, April 1, 2025
The coalition to modernize the state’s Open Meeting Law by requiring hybrid (in-person and virtual) public meeting met with Senate President Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) this week to thank her for leadership in extending the current hybrid meeting law and to urge her to support pending legislation to make the temporary law permanent. In March, just before the temporary law was due to expire, the Legislature extended the policy until June 30, 2027. It is now Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2026.
The coalition has filed House Bill 3299, An Act to modernize participation in public meetings, sponsored by Rep. Antonio Cabral (D-New Bedford), House Chair of the Committee on State Administration and Regulator Oversight. The new bill would make hybrid public meetings a permanent requirement.
Senator Moore explained that hybrid meetings are important for older adults and those with disabilities who want to be actively involved in state and local government meetings. Meetings that are often held in the evening or in locations that are not easily accessible are difficult for everyone to attend. However, failure to remove impediments posed by holding only in-person meetings or video-taped meeting available after the fact, deprive citizens of the basic right to participate in their government on matters that may affect them.
Left to Right: Geoff Foster, Former Sen. Richard Moore, Senate President Karen Spilka; Deidre Cummings, Sadie Simone, Celia Canavan, Gavi Wolfe
Senator Spilka told the group that she supported making hybrid public meetings permanent, but noted there are still issues to be addressed such a whether such a law would be a local mandate requiring the state to reimburse cities, towns, and districts for the cost; and whether all public meeting would be included/ The Legislature has had hybrid meeting for its committee hearings for the past few years.
Dignity Alliance Massachusetts, which has endorsed H.3299 and earlier versions of the bill, was well-represented at the meeting in the Senate President’s Office. In addition to former Senator Moore, who is a co-founder and Legislative Chair of Dignity Alliance, and Sadie Simone attended in-person, while Former Senator Barbara L’Italien and Sue Rorke attended virtually.
Attendees: Geoff Foster, Common Cause MA; Former Sen. Richard Moore, Dignity Alliance; Senate President Karen Spilka; Deidre Cummings, Mass PIRG; Sadie Simone, MetroWest ILC; Celia Canavan, Mass. League of Women Voters, Gavi Wolfe; ACLU of MA. Attending virtually were Former Senator Barbara L’Italien, Disability Law Center; Sue Rorke, MetroWest ILC and Spilka constituent; Bob Ambrogi, MA Newspaper Publishers Association.; and Dianna Hu, Boston Center for Independent Living