H1598 • 2025

An Act relative to transparency in clerk magistrate hearings

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Antonio F. D. Cabral
Last action: 2026-03-26
Official status: Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act relative to transparency in clerk magistrate hearings

An Act relative to transparency in clerk magistrate hearings By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act relative to transparency in clerk magistrate hearings By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
1598) of Antonio F.
D.
Cabral for legislation to further regulate clerk magistrate hearings.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-26 House
Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
2025-11-04 Joint
Hearing rescheduled to 11/04/2025 from 01:00 PM-02:30 PM in A-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
2025-11-04 Joint
Hearing rescheduled to 11/04/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time
2025-10-29 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 11/04/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on The Judiciary
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred
House
Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to transparency in clerk magistrate hearings
By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1598) of Antonio F. D. Cabral for legislation to further regulate clerk magistrate hearings. The Judiciary.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

×

Bill H.1598

Section 35A of chapter 218 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following paragraph:

Any hearing held pursuant to this section, and any record associated with such hearing shall be presumed to be open to the public unless the court, or said officer thereof, makes a written finding, for good cause shown, that the defendant’s interest in privacy outweighs the public’s right of access. Any such finding shall be made only after a hearing on the record, in which the court may permit an interested non-party, who files a notice of appearance limited to participation in the proceeding, to be heard. Any such finding shall state with specificity the reason for closing the hearing and shall be narrowly tailored to said reason. All hearings held pursuant to this section shall be taken stenographically or recorded and transcribed.

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

Close