An Act relative to access to a decedent's electronic mail accounts

This Massachusetts bill (HD 1182) creates a new law allowing executors, conservators, and other fiduciaries to access a deceased person's digital accounts, including email content. It lets users pre-set instructions through online tools provided by services (like "digital wills") to share or restrict access to their digital assets, which overrides conflicting terms-of-service agreements. If no instructions exist, fiduciaries can petition a court for access - unless the court finds they’re acting in bad faith or federal law prohibits it. The law applies to digital assets of Massachusetts residents who died on or after its effective date.