Back to Massachusetts

H1879 • 2025

An Act to ensure backyard privacy

An Act to ensure backyard privacy

Privacy
Active

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

Sponsor
Joseph D. McKenna
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 to ensure backyard privacy

An Act to ensure backyard privacy By Representative McKenna of Sutton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to ensure backyard privacy By Representative McKenna of Sutton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1879) of Joseph D.
  • McKenna relative to the videotaping or taking of moving digital images of activities in the backyard of certain adjoining residential properties.
  • The Judiciary.

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

  1. 2026-03-26 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-10-10 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 10/21/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on The Judiciary

  4. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  5. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act to ensure backyard privacy
By Representative McKenna of Sutton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1879) of Joseph D. McKenna relative to the videotaping or taking of moving digital images of activities in the backyard of certain adjoining residential properties. The Judiciary.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
×

Bill H.1879

MGL Chapter 272 is amended by adding the following new section:

SECTION XX:

Section 1. Any owner or tenant of residential real property shall have a private right of action for damages against any person who installs or affixes a video imaging device on property adjoining such residential real property for the purpose of video taping or taking moving digital images of the activities which occur in the backyard of the residential real property without the written consent thereto of such owner and/or tenant with intent to harass, annoy, or alarm another person, or with intent to threaten the person or property of another person. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law enforcement personnel engaged in the conduct of their authorized duties.

Section 2. For the purposes of this section , “backyard” shall mean that portion of the parcel on which residential real property is located which extends beyond the rear footprint of the residential dwelling situated thereon, and to the side and rear boundaries of such parcel extending beyond the rear footprint of such residential dwelling.

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