S 2195 Massachusetts Senate · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relative to the executive session interview process

SD 1063 amends Massachusetts law to allow preliminary screening committees (for school committees, city councils, town councils, select boards, or boards of aldermen) to hold executive sessions when interviewing applicants, if the chair determines an open meeting would harm recruitment of qualified candidates. This applies only to initial interviews before applicants pass a preliminary screening, not to later stages. The bill does not change transparency requirements for applicants who have already advanced in the process. It affects local hiring procedures for municipal and school board positions.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House Passage
Feb 2025
Governor
Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action Feb 9, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Feb 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to the committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors