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H854 • 2025

An Act relative to youth voter engagement

An Act relative to youth voter engagement

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
Joan Meschino
Last action
2026-03-19
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5253 (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 youth voter engagement

An Act relative to youth voter engagement By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act relative to youth voter engagement By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 854) of Joan Meschino for legislation to provide for voter pre-registration for persons 17 years of age.
  • Election Laws.

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. 2026-03-19 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5253 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-04-28 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 05/06/2025 from 01:00 PM-04:00 PM in B-1

  3. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Election Laws

  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 relative to youth voter engagement
By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 854) of Joan Meschino for legislation to provide for voter pre-registration for persons 17 years of age. Election Laws.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.854

SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 51 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the first sentence the following sentence:- Every pre-registrant registered under section 47A, who is 17 years of age, may vote pursuant to section 47A.

SECTION 2. Section 47A of said chapter 51, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:– Subsequent to such pre-registration, a pre-registrant who is 17 years of age, when pre-registered as provided in this section, shall be eligible to vote at any preliminary or primary election to be held if they shall be the age of 18 years at the time of the subsequent special or general election and no other pre-registrant shall be allowed to vote until the pre-registrant obtains full age unless otherwise permitted by law.

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