PUBLIC SESSION
MEETING CONVENED
Vice Chair Thomas A. Connors called the meeting to order at 9:34 a.m. Also in attendance were Chair Margot Botsford, Commissioner Eron Hackshaw, Commissioner Patrick Hanley, and Commissioner Jeffrey T. Collins. Chair Botsford participated remotely.
REMOTE PARTICIPATION
Vice Chair Connors announced that the meeting would take place in-person with remote access provided to the public pursuant to the law signed by Governor Healey on March 28, 2025. Vice Chair Connors noted that all votes at the meeting would be taken by roll call.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
On the motion of Vice Chair Connors, seconded by Commissioner Hanley, the Commission voted 5-0 to waive the reading and approve the public session minutes of the February 26, 2026 Commission meeting.
| Vote: | |
|---|---|
| Chair Botsford | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
| Commissioner Collins | Yes |
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
Executive Director David A. Wilson presented his monthly report.
Mr. Wilson welcomed all to the Commission’s first Ethics Awareness Month meeting. He thanked Governor Maura Healey for issuing a proclamation declaring March 2026 as Ethics Awareness Month in Massachusetts. Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission was promoting Ethics Awareness Month through its website, e-mail signatures, and social media. He said he hoped Ethics Awareness Month would continue to be recognized in the Commonwealth in future years.
Personnel
Mr. Wilson reported that the Commission was conducting second-round interviews for the vacant Assistant Enforcement Counsel position. He said he anticipated filling the position in April, and that the hiring process would be further discussed during the Enforcement Division’s monthly report.
Budget
Mr. Wilson provided an update on the Commission’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. He stated that the Governor’s proposed budget bill, H.2, includes $3,917,515 in funding for the Commission, approximately $167,000, or about 4%, above the total operating funds available to the Commission in Fiscal Year 2026. Mr. Wilson said that, although the Commission is grateful for the increase, the Commission would continue to advocate for its original request and seek to close the approximately $90,000 funding gap between H.2 and the Commission’s request. He reported that he and Government Affairs Officer Jennifer McCullough had met recently with Senators Rausch and Fernandes to further advocate for the Commission’s full Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. Mr. Wilson further reported that, on March 18, 2026, he, Ms. McCullough, and Commissioner Hanley, met with Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and several members of the Lieutenant Governor’s and Governor’s staff, including Chief of Staff Kate Cook, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Lieutenant Governor Kristian Hoysradt, Chief Legal Counsel Jesse Boodoo, and Deputy Chief Legal Counsel Abigail Fee. Mr. Wilson noted that Commissioner Hanley, Ms. McCullough, and he were well received and that the group discussed the Commission’s work and priorities. Commissioner Hanley stated that the Lt. Governor and the others were receptive and expressed interest in the Commission’s lack of backlog. He noted that, as the Governor’s appointee to the Commission, he shared his experience serving on the Commission and spoke positively about the agency’s work. Mr. Wilson thanked Commissioner Hanley for attending the meeting.
Mr. Wilson reported that, on March 24, 2026, he testified before the Joint Committee on Ways and Means at a public hearing at the Town of Foxborough Community Center in support of the Commission’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. He noted that Ms. McCullough and Chief of Finance and Operations Benjamin Bloomenthal, who helped him to prepare and submit his written testimony to the Joint Committee, also attended the hearing. Mr. Wilson explained that he provided an overview of the Commission’s work and budget request and that CFO Bloomenthal presented the financial details. He noted that the Commission also submitted written testimony, the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report, and the Ethics Awareness Month proclamation to the Joint Committee. Mr. Wilson stated that the written testimony was a collaborative effort and thanked Public Education and Communications Division Deputy Chief Gerry Tuoti for his assistance in its preparation. He noted that the Commission’s presentation was well received. Chair Botsford stated that the testimony reflected positively on the Commission’s work and expressed pride in the role of the Commission. Mr. Wilson said his testimony emphasized the importance of the Commission’s work in promoting integrity in government service and public trust in government institutions and that the Commission’s efforts are consistent with and supportive of values widely shared by Massachusetts residents. Commissioner Hanley noted that, during the meeting with the Lt. Governor, Mr. Wilson had described the Commission’s work as critical to democracy.
Mr. Wilson stated that the Commission operates very efficiently with its small staff providing services to more than 400,000 public employees and hundreds of municipalities and other public agencies. He stated that the Commission’s budget request reflected the resources necessary to continue providing these services. Mr. Wilson noted that the House and the Senate would pass their separate budget bills in April and May, respectively, and then those budget bills would be sent to the Legislature’s Conference Committee to reconcile differences between them. He said that additional meetings with legislators were scheduled.
New Commissioner
Mr. Wilson stated that there was nothing new to report regarding the appointment of a new Commissioner to succeed Commissioner Hackshaw. He explained that he had been in contact with the Office of the Attorney General and noted that there may be progress forthcoming, although no commitment had been made. Chair Botsford thanked Commissioner Hackshaw for his continued service beyond the expiration of his term.
Ongoing Projects
Mr. Wilson reported that substantial progress had been made in the project to replace the Commission’s existing SFI e-filing system and said it would be discussed during SFI portion of the monthly report of the Legal Division.
Mr. Wilson reported that, as a final phase of implementing the Commission’s new Legal Case Management System, the public-facing portal on the Commission’s website had opened for the submission of complaints, requests for legal advice, and public records requests. He explained that the portal would also streamline the filing of conflict of interest disclosures and adjudicatory case filings by reducing the number of steps required by Commission staff. Mr. Wilson noted that a prior online complaint and request for advice submission function had not operated effectively and required significant manual effort by both filers and staff. He stated that Enforcement Division Chief Monica Brookman and General Counsel/Legal Division Chief Eve Slattery would provide comments regarding their experience with the new system to date during their monthly division reports.
Commissioners’ Event
Mr. Wilson reminded the Commission that the Commission event to honor former Commissioners Mills, Martinez, and Edwards is scheduled for May 5, 2026 at 12:30 p.m., and noted the invitation of all former and current Commissioners to attend.
Next Meeting
Mr. Wilson reminded the Commission that its next Commission meeting was scheduled for April 30, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. Following discussion, the Commission scheduled its subsequent meetings for May 21, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. and June 18, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.
RECOMMENDATION TO SEEK AMENDMENT OF FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE LAW G.L. C. 268B, § 1 DEFINITION OF “AMOUNT”
Mr. Wilson presented a recommendation that the Commission consider seeking a statutory amendment to the definition of “amount” in the financial disclosure law, G.L. c. 268B, § 1. He explained that the current categories of value reported on Statements of Financial Interests had not been updated since 1978 and noted that the highest reporting category remains “over $100,000,” which no longer reflects current economic conditions. Mr. Wilson stated that a recent Massachusetts Government Transparency Survey published by the Pioneer Institute highlighted this issue and reported strong public support for reforms to the SFI system. He explained that, in particular, the report noted the outdated SFI “amount” reporting categories and the requirement that individuals provide identification when requesting copies of SFIs. Mr. Wilson stated that the survey supported revisiting these issues and that he was recommending the Commission begin by seeking revisions to the SFI “amount” categories.
Ms. Slattery explained that the proposed approach would be based on language previously submitted by the Commission in 2017 to the Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government. She further explained that prior proposals to update the ranges were based on the federal disclosure requirements of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. Ms. Slattery noted that federal reporting categories have since increased substantially and that the Commission’s ranges are clearly outdated. She stated that the proposed amendment would create additional reporting tiers, including categories extending to $5,000,000 and above, to better reflect current asset values such as home prices, and improve the usefulness of SFI disclosures. Ms. Slattery said that it would be appropriate for the Commission to seek an increase and that the matter was being brought forward for discussion regarding how best to proceed.
Commissioner Hanley stated that he supported increasing the reporting categories. Ms. McCullough stated that raising the issue with the Lt. Governor’s Office had been helpful and noted that it would also be beneficial to engage with the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, the House Speaker, the Senate President, and the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means. Vice Chair Connors asked how the proposal would proceed through the Legislature. Mr. Wilson responded that the Commission would seek a legislative sponsor and determine the appropriate legislative vehicle. Vice Chair Connors stated that he agreed with Ms. Slattery that the reporting ranges should be updated. Mr. Wilson stated that he hoped that, in any vote, the Commission would provide staff with flexibility if different ranges were proposed during the legislative process. Vice Chair Connors stated that he supported the proposed ranges, with flexibility to adjust the proposed ranges as appropriate during the legislative process.
On the motion of Vice Chair Connors, seconded by Chair Botsford, the Commission voted 5-0 to authorize staff to pursue a legislative amendment to G.L. c. 268B, § 1 to update the “amount” reporting categories for Statements of Financial Interests.
| Vote: | |
|---|---|
| Chair Botsford | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
| Commissioner Collins | Yes |
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION MATTERS
Public Education and Communications Division Chief Don Siriani presented his memorandum reporting on the Public Education and Communications Division’s activities during February 2026.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Division issued nine press releases in February.
Mr. Siriani reported that conflict of interest law seminar participation exceeded 200 attendees, with strong engagement reported. He explained that the Division developed a new comprehensive survey to be distributed near the end of seminars to gather feedback and better assess participant understanding.
Mr. Siriani said that he and IT Specialist Tony Webb continue to attend monthly meetings of information officers and that the Division has been monitoring the availability of free artificial intelligence training for Massachusetts residents. He noted that the Division has not yet taken any action in that area but is continuing to monitor developments.
Mr. Siriani stated that the Division is reviewing website content to ensure compliance with accessibility requirements.
Mr. Siriani expressed appreciation for the Governor’s proclamation recognizing Ethics Awareness Month and said it provides an opportunity to expand outreach and promote awareness of the Commission’s role and the importance of ethical conduct in public service. He noted that the Division plans to share additional materials with local administrators, including advisory guidance and promotional posters, at no cost.
Mr. Siriani reported that the Division would resume its in-house seminar program and that an upcoming session received more than 250 registrations, which exceeded expectations. He noted that adjustments were made to accommodate all registrants and that an additional session is planned for April. Mr. Siriani further reported that increased interest has led to additional requests from agencies and municipalities for separate seminars, which the Division will schedule in the coming months.
LEGAL DIVISION MATTERS
General Counsel/Legal Division Chief Eve Slattery reported on the activities of the Legal Division in February 2026.
Legal Division Metrics for February 2026
Ms. Slattery presented the following Legal Division metrics for February 2026.
- Written advice. The Legal Division answered by letter or e-mail 49 written requests for advisory opinions under G.L. c. 268A and c. 268B. Of these requests, 7 pertained to SFIs.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| February 2025 (same month prior year) (total/SFI): | 49/4 |
| January 2026 (previous month) (total/SFI): | 59/20 |
- Oral advice. The Legal Division attorneys provided advice by telephone in response to 356 requests for advice from state, county, and municipal officials. Of these requests, 20 pertained to SFIs.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| February 2025 (same month prior year) (total/SFI): | 361/7 |
| January 2026 (previous month) (total/SFI): | 362/38 |
- Review of municipal letters. Division staff reviewed 0 letters issued by city solicitors/town counsel pursuant to G.L. c. 268A, § 22 and 930 CMR 1.03.
| For comparison: | |
|---|---|
| February 2025 (same month prior year): | 1 |
| January 2026 (previous month): | 0 |
- Backlog. As of March 19, 2026, the Division had no pending requests for written advice that were more than 30 days old. As of that date, there were a total of 13 pending requests for written advice.
Adjudicatory Matters
Ms. Slattery presented the March/April calendar of conferences/hearings in pending Commission adjudicatory proceedings.
In the Matter of David Bartley, Docket No. 26-0003 (Order to Show Cause issued March 18, 2026): Vice Chair Connors was assigned as the presiding officer. Staff Counsel Norah Mallam will serve as legal advisor.
In the Matter of Michael Lutes, Docket No. 26-0004 (Order to Show Cause issued March 25, 2026): Commissioner Collins was assigned as the presiding officer. Assistant General Counsel Christopher N. Popov will serve as legal advisor.
SFI Report
Legal Division Deputy Chief/SFI Lauren Duca provided an update on Statements of Financial Interests (SFI) for Calendar Year 2025. Ms. Duca said that the SFI Team responded to requests for legal and technical assistance from filers working on their SFI. She reported that, as of that morning, 1,297 filers had already filed their SFIs, approximately 33% of expected filings, and that 2,703 filings remained outstanding. Ms. Duca further reported that Special Assistant to Administration and SFI Rose Costa worked on drafting updated written administrative procedures for SFIs, which were expected to be completed by the following week. She noted that Ms. Costa also revised the portion of the receptionist manual relating to the handling of manually filed SFIs. Ms. Duca stated the SFI Team is working with filers to try to accommodate their requests to redact additional information from their CY 2025 SFI which falls under various exemptions to the public records law, including exemptions for victims of domestic violence and adjudicated crimes. She said that, as part of the development of the new SFI system, she hopes to implement functionality like that used by the Comptroller in CTHRU, which has the ability to allow certain public employees’ information to be hidden from public view. Ms. Duca reported that the SFI Team handled a total of 121 inquiries for SFI assistance in February.
Ms. Duca provided an update on the project to replace the Commission’s existing SFI filing system. She explained that the SFI Team meets twice weekly with the developer and vendor, WSD Digital, LLC, which does business as ReFrame, in GAP sessions to review existing system functions, discuss new features, and address differences between the current and proposed systems. Ms. Duca stated that, during development sprints, the vendor is coding, making changes, and customizing ReFrame’s existing system as needed, and that portions of the Commission’s system have already been built. She said the SFI Team would continue to meet weekly with the vendor and that it has provided ReFrame with information regarding the current system to begin the process of data migration. Ms. Duca stated that the SFI Team has been working with ReFrame on the registration process for new filers and the SFI form and is continuing to work on the system’s landing page. She explained that the landing page will include a revised layout with login functionality and accompanying text, and that the design incorporates Mass.gov-approved colors. Ms. Duca further explained that the landing page will include a carousel of images depicting well-known locations from across the Commonwealth selected by the SFI Team.
Ms. Duca reported that the new SFI system is being designed to help prevent inadvertent disclosure of otherwise protected information. She explained that responses to specific questions, such as whether the filer or a family member resides at an address, which determine whether the address is redacted, have been updated. Ms. Duca stated that the system will include prompts to allow filers to review and correct responses before submission. She explained that informational features are also being updated. Ms. Duca stated that the current system’s hover-over icons will be replaced with collapsible side panels that will provide relevant guidance for each question on the SFI form and that these panels will be accessible on mobile devices. Ms. Duca further stated that, in addition to GAP sessions, the SFI Team has access to the vendor’s DevOps platform to request and review changes. She noted that the SFI Team also meets with ReFrame’s project management team on a weekly basis to review progress and backlog items and that an executive steering committee, which includes Mr. Wilson, meets bimonthly to ensure the project remains on track for completion by June 30, 2026.
Commissioner Hanley asked whether user testing would be conducted as the new system nears completion. Ms. Duca responded that, following each development sprint, ReFrame will conduct a demo of the items completed for the SFI Team to review and correct as needed, and when that process is completed, the project will move into user acceptance testing. She explained that the SFI Team plans to have Commission staff and other users assist with testing the functionality in the replacement system in the same way as it did with the current system, and noted that feedback from a survey of all the types of users of the current system regarding system pain points has been provided to the vendor. Ms. Duca stated that final user testing will occur once all major components are in place and expressed confidence that the project remains on schedule for completion by June 30, 2026. Vice Chair Connors thanked Ms. Duca and the SFI Team for their work on the project.
ENFORCEMENT DIVISION MATTERS
Enforcement Division Chief Monica Brookman reported that applications for the vacant Assistant Enforcement Counsel position were due on March 6, 2026. She further reported that the Enforcement Division conducted two rounds of interviews and thanked Special Investigator Paul Murray, Special Investigator Brian McWilliams, Assistant Enforcement Counsel John McDonald, Staff Counsel Candies Pruitt, and Special Investigator Scott Cole for their assistance in the interview process. Ms. Brookman said that the Division received a number of strong applications and that reference checks for the final candidates would be conducted during the week. She noted that she hopes to fill the position soon and that the selection would be difficult given the high quality of the candidates.
Ms. Brookman presented the Enforcement Intake and Informal Investigations Metrics for February 2026. She reported that, with the opening of the new online complaints portal, the Enforcement Division received 156 complaints already this month, which she noted was more than the number received in any single month, with several days remaining in the reporting period. Ms. Brookman stated the increased complaint filings appear to be attributed in part to the reduced friction in submitting complaints online. She explained that some filers are also using artificial intelligence tools to assist in drafting complaints, which has further facilitated submissions. Ms. Brookman noted, however, that not all complaints received are credible conflict of interest allegations and that Division staff must review and screen each complaint. She stated that the increased volume of complaints may result in longer processing times and could affect the Division’s backlog. Ms. Brookman reported that the Division’s backlog is currently at seventeen matters and stated that the Division will work to maintain the backlog at a low level.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 10:34 a.m., on the motion of Vice Chair Connors, seconded by Commissioner Hanley, the Commission voted 5-0 to enter executive session to discuss matters subject to the provisions of G.L. c. 30A, § 21, subparagraph (a)(7), and § 18, and G.L. c. 268B, §§ 3 and 4, including investigatory matters, preliminary inquiries, summons authorization requests, and adjudicatory matters.
| Vote: | |
|---|---|
| Chair Botsford | Yes |
| Vice Chair Connors | Yes |
| Commissioner Hackshaw | Yes |
| Commissioner Hanley | Yes |
| Commissioner Collins | Yes |
Vice Chair Connors stated that the Commission would not reconvene in public session following the executive session.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS USED AT THIS MEETING
- Agenda for the Commission Meeting of March 26, 2026
- Minutes of the Commission Meeting of February 26, 2026, Public Session
- Memorandum, dated March 19, 2026, from Executive Director David A. Wilson to the Commission regarding a recommendation for statutory amendment of the Financial Disclosure Law, G.L. c. 268B, § 1 Definition of “Amount”
- Massachusetts Government Transparency Survey commissioned by the Pioneer Institute
- Memorandum, dated May 25, 2017, from the State Ethics Commission to the Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government regarding a comprehensive list of proposed changes to G.L. c. 268A and c. 268B
- Report and Recommendations of the Task Force on Integrity in State and Local Government, dated June 14, 2017
- Memorandum, dated March 19, 2026, from Public Education and Communications Division Chief Donald Siriani to the Commission concerning Public Education and Communications Division activities in February 2026
- Memorandum, dated March 19, 2026, from General Counsel/Legal Division Chief Eve Slattery to the Commission setting forth Legal Division matters for the meeting
- Calendar of hearing dates and pre-hearing conferences in pending Commission adjudicatory matters
- Enforcement Intake and Informal Investigations Metrics
Respectfully submitted,
Arthur Xia
Senior Program Coordinator