{"id":2257,"date":"2026-01-16T11:51:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T16:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/?post_type=press&p=2257"},"modified":"2026-01-16T11:51:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T16:51:14","slug":"senate-passes-common-cause-led-bipartisan-ballot-spending-transparency-act","status":"publish","type":"press","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/massachusetts\/press\/senate-passes-common-cause-led-bipartisan-ballot-spending-transparency-act\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Passes Common Cause \u2013 Led Bipartisan Ballot Spending Transparency Act"},"template":"","class_list":["post-2257","press","type-press","status-publish","hentry","press_type-press-release"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"The bill empowers voters, requires real-time reports on spending ","featured_image":"","press_type":146,"authors":"","related_issues":[464],"related_work":false,"location":24},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":"","name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"BOSTON, MA \u2013<\/span>\u00a0Yesterday, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed the\u00a0Ballot Spending Transparency Act\u00a0(H.868\/<\/a>\u00a0S.507),<\/a>\u00a0landmark legislation championed by Common Cause Massachusetts to strengthen disclosure requirements for spending on statewide ballot questions. The bill\u2019s passage marks a major victory for transparency and reflects sustained efforts by Common Cause Massachusetts to close one of the state\u2019s most significant campaign finance reporting loopholes.\r\n\r\n\u201cMassachusetts voters deserve to know, in real time, who is funding the ballot questions that will impact their lives,\u201d\u00a0said Geoff Foster, Common Cause\u2019s Massachusetts Executive Director.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cUnder our current system, special interests can funnel millions of dollars behind issue campaigns without the public knowing for months. The Senate\u2019s passage of the\u00a0Ballot Spending Transparency Act\u00a0moves Massachusetts closer to a democracy where voters - not\u00a0unknown\u00a0special interests - decide our future.\u201d\r\n\r\nCommon Cause Massachusetts initially raised concerns about the state\u2019s lax ballot spending disclosure requirements. Under current law, special interests can pour millions of dollars into elections without public scrutiny during an eight month \u2018unmonitored\u2019 window during an election year. Through research, coalition advocacy, and direct engagement with lawmakers, the organization advanced the bipartisan\u00a0Ballot Spending Transparency Act\u00a0filed by Senator Sal DiDomenico and State Representative Daniel Ryan\u00a0to ensure voters have\u00a0timely\u00a0information about who is trying to influence public policy at the ballot box.\r\n\r\n\u201cStatewide ballot questions are a great tool for empowering the public to vote directly on statewide policies, but it is vitally important that our voters know which people and organizations are funding these policy proposals,\u201d said\u00a0Sen. Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett), lead sponsor of the Senate bill.\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cI am proud to have worked with Common Cause to pass my legislation through the Senate, which will close a loophole in our campaign finance law and ensure our residents have all the information they need to make an educated decision when voting on ballot measures.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe effort also landed the endorsement from the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts.\r\n\r\n\"The importance of having voters be able to access up-to-date financial data regarding what is on their ballot cannot be understated,\" said\u00a0Celia Canavan, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts.<\/strong>\u00a0\"The Senate's passage of the\u00a0Ballot Spending Transparency Act\u00a0is more than just a good governance reform: it brings us closer to allowing voters the tools they need to hold power accountable.\"\r\n\r\nMassachusetts consistently\u00a0ranks among the states raising the highest dollar amounts for ballot questions<\/a>, and the state spends more than the national average on ballot question campaigns.\u00a0Over the past 10 years, or six election cycles, Massachusetts ballot campaigns have raised over\u00a0$340 million, averaging\u00a0$57 million each election cycle.<\/a>\u00a0 $123 million, or 36% of all contributions,\u00a0were received during the unmonitored eight-month window.\r\n\r\nBy advocating for this legislation, Common Cause Massachusetts is empowering voters by securing stronger transparency for ballot campaign contributions and expenditures influencing statewide public policy.\r\n\r\nThe\u00a0Ballot Spending Transparency Act\u00a0now awaits consideration by the Massachusetts House of Representatives.\r\n

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