Open government

Get details on the state budget, see where the state's money comes from, locate a law on a topic that is of interest to you or obtain information on any city or town in Massachusetts.

View detailed information on state government spending.

Massachusetts government is funded on a fiscal year basis - see an overview of the budget process, along with documents for the current fiscal year. 

How are state funds spent?  Each year, Massachusetts spends more than $28 billion in its operating budget. The spending can be broken into a number of categories, which cut across all state departments.

The responsibility for law-making in Massachusetts lies with the Legislature, which is officially known as the General Court. Laws usually originate from proposals sponsored by legislators, the governor or from recommendations of a department or agency, but can also emerge from an idea that a member of the public believes should become law.

Regulations form part of the body of law known as administrative law. Regulations set forth standards for public health and safety, licensing of professionals, consumer and environmental protection, among others. Regulations have the force and effect of law-like statutes. They are created and enforced by executive branch agencies, which are given the rulemaking authority by the legislature. Regulations are promulgated by individual state agencies after providing for required public notifications and hearings. Regulations must be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

The public records law provides that every person has a right to access to public information. This includes the right to inspect, copy or have copies of records provided upon the payment of a reasonable fee. Massachusetts law broadly defines “public records” to include “all books, papers, maps, photographs, recorded tapes, financial statements, statistical tabulations, or other documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee”of any Massachusetts governmental entity -- with certain exemptions. 

Use the searchable database of legal resources to research campaign finance issues.

Massachusetts law requires all parties providing or retaining lobbying services to register annually and submit disclosure reports twice each year with the Public Records Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. These records can be searched online by the public. 

The Massachusetts Open Meeting Law supports the principle that the democratic process depends on the public having knowledge about the considerations underlying governmental action. In general, the law requires that most meetings of government entities be open to the public, that notice of such meetings be publicly posted, and that accurate records of the meeting be kept and made available to the public. Responsibility for enforcement of the law, relative to local, county, regional, and state public bodies has been centralized in the office of the Attorney General.