Boston, MA – Today, municipal leaders, disability advocates, and open government organizations testified in support of H. 3299, legislation sponsored by Rep. Antonio Cabral that would modernize the state’s Open Meeting Law by guaranteeing hybrid public meetings.

The proposal would ensure Bay Staters can attend and participate in government meetings either in person or online, making civic engagement more accessible for working families, people with disabilities, and anyone unable to attend in person.

“The flexibility of hybrid removes structural barriers and enables civic engagement as a civil right–whether for people with disabilities, with limited access to transportation, with a daytime job, with children at home, or with an interest in good government,” said Dianna Hu, chair  of the Boston Center for Independent Living. “Accessibility is a requirement. We now have this opportunity to make hybrid access a curb cut 2.0 for the modern age.”

“From virtual doctor’s appointments to work meetings and job interviews, the option to participate remotely has greatly expanded in all aspects of our life post-pandemic. Access to government meetings should be no different,” said Geoff Foster, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “Requiring hybrid access for public meetings will make it more convenient for Bay Staters to participate in their government, leading to increased transparency and accountability.”

“Our 44 local Leagues and 3,000 members across the Commonwealth are deeply involved in their local governments, and have seen firsthand the barriers that the lack of access to public meetings poses to women, especially mothers, caretakers, and women of color. The League strongly supports this bill to ensure that all residents are able to participate in local government meetings that make critical decisions about their lives,” said Celia Canavan, executive director, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts.

“Government participation and transparency is the cornerstone to a strong democracy,” said Deirdre Cummings, MASSPIRG’s legislative director. “This bill provides for both, making government meetings more accessible and transparent.”

“Hybrid meetings are the only way to maximize public access to government deliberations. We can no longer accept the exclusion of large segments of the population from the democratic process simply because inclusion has a price tag or because change is inconvenient,” said Gavi Wolfe, legislative director of the ACLU of Massachusetts. “We can do better, and we know how. In fact, nearly half of all Massachusetts city councils and select boards are already conducting hybrid meetings. The legislature should update the Open Meeting Law to guarantee hybrid meetings across the Commonwealth moving forward.”

“A guiding principle of the disability justice movement is ‘Nothing About Us Without Us,’” said Barbara L’Italien, executive director of the Disability Law Center. “By focusing on inclusion and equity, and welcoming the participation of 11.5% of the population, our communities and our democracy will only become stronger.”

The bill is backed by the ACLU of Massachusetts, Boston Center for Independent Living, Common Cause Massachusetts, Disability Law Center, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, MASSPIRG, New England First Amendment Coalition, and New England Newspaper & Press Association.

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