Government Reform – Will Brownsberger

Response to Auditor

Will Brownsberger — Fri, 29 May 2026 01:11:14 +0000

Today, the state senate resolved to expeditiously provide to Auditor DiZoglio all the records she has requested.

Is the legislature productive?

Will Brownsberger — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:27:39 +0000

In several recent contexts, I have seen unhelpful and misleading uses of bill counts as a way of measuring the legislature's productivity.

Audit of the Legislature

Will Brownsberger — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:24:21 +0000

I often get questions about the proposal by the Auditor to "audit" the legislature.

Election Laws Resources

Will Brownsberger — Fri, 19 Apr 2024 19:24:53 +0000

Helpful links on election laws. Share your favorites!

Voting Rights in Massachusetts

Will Brownsberger — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:25:41 +0000

There is a strong consensus in both branches of the state legislature to continue improving access to the ballot.

VOTES Act

Alicia Brisson — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 18:38:38 +0000

Earlier this week, the Massachusetts State Senate passed S.2545, An Act fostering voter opportunities, trust, equity and security (the VOTES Act). This comprehensive voting reform bill permanently codifies mail-in and early voting options used in Massachusetts in 2020.

Results of survey on voting experience

Will Brownsberger — Thu, 10 Sep 2020 10:41:25 +0000

The data from this survey are imperfect in a number of ways, but the results do not suggest a pattern of malfunction in the postal service.

Election Security

Will Brownsberger — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 15:51:02 +0000

Most of us take the elections process for granted – one receives a ballot, one votes, and one leaves. But for election officials, the process is much more complicated, with a careful accounting for ballots at every step of the process.

Voting by Mail

Will Brownsberger — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 12:38:12 +0000

Massachusetts voters will have three options in the statewide elections this fall: They will be able to vote early by mail, vote early in person, or vote in person on election day.

Campaign Finance & Childcare Costs

Quinn Diaz — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 19:18:30 +0000

The legal landscape surrounding the use of campaign funds to pay for childcare expenses at the federal and state level.

System Responses to Problematic Behaviors by a Child Under 12

Anne Johnson Landry — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 15:00:01 +0000

As a result of the recent increase in the age of juvenile court jurisdiction at the lower end to 12 for purposes of adjudicating juvenile delinquency, Senator Brownsberger's office has received a number of inquiries as to how the court system, a school system, or other entities might respond to problematic behaviors by a child under the age of 12.

Massachusetts Senate Passes Automatic Voter Registration

Will Brownsberger — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 10:10:43 +0000

Today, the Massachusetts Senate passed H.4671, An Act automatically registering eligible voters and enhancing safeguards against fraud.

Public Meetings: Draft MassDOT & MBTA Capital Investment Plan (CIP) FY2019–2023

Andrew Bettinelli — Fri, 04 May 2018 16:48:27 +0000

From MassDOT: CAPITAL INVESTMENT PLAN Public Meeting Schedule The Draft MassDOT & MBTA Capital Investment Plan (CIP) Update for fiscal years 2019–2023 is a multi-billion dollar program that makes long-term, multi-modal investments across the Commonwealth. The CIP covers all MassDOT highway and municipal projects, regional airports, rail and transit, including MBTA and Regional Transit Authorities …

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Tax Return Disclosure

Will Brownsberger — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:01:53 +0000

I am not quite on board for the tax return disclosure bill.

Please sign on to Sen. Barrett’s tax transparency bill S.98

Geoff Dutton — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 16:23:17 +0000

Hi Will, Last I checked, you were not among the more than 50 cosponsors for this bill, which would require presidential candidates to release three years of the US tax returns in order to qualify for the MA ballot. If you don’t object to the bill, please sign on and work to help it pass. …

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TONIGHT: Senator Brownsberger to Host ‘We the People Act’ Discussion

Quinn Diaz — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 16:11:17 +0000

Senator Will Brownsberger will host a community discussion on the We the People Act tonight, to examine the pros and cons of proposed legislation and solicit community feedback on the issue of campaign finance reform. WHEN: Monday, January 30 from 6:00 – 7:45 PM WHERE: Honan Branch Library | 300 N. Harvard Street, Allston 02134 If you are unable to …

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Senator Brownsberger Appears on Commonwealth Magazine’s Codcast to Discuss Pay Raise Package

Quinn Diaz — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 21:41:57 +0000

Senator Brownsberger joined Jack Sullivan and Bruce Mohl on Commonwealth Magazine’s weekly podcast on politics and policy, The Codcast, to discuss legislative pay increases, which were debated by the House and Senate this week.

Senator Brownsberger Talks Legislative Pay Increase on Greater Boston with Jim Braude

Quinn Diaz — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 18:32:27 +0000

Senator Brownsberger appeared on WGBH’s Greater Boston with Jim Braude alongside State Representative Shaunna O’Connell on Tuesday, January 24 to discuss legislative compensation ahead of this week’s House and Senate debates.

The pay raise package that the legislature is actually voting on.

Will Brownsberger — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 18:22:14 +0000

The actual legislation that the House and Senate will consider has now been released. Here are a few observations, and a link to a much more in-depth post on this issue that I wrote earlier this week.

Legislative Pay Increase

Will Brownsberger — Sat, 21 Jan 2017 14:37:51 +0000

The uncomfortable subject of state elected-official compensation has come up. I am likely to need to vote on it sometime soon and I would welcome your thoughts.