Mass. transparency bill sparks outrage as state auditor blasts proposal ahead of House vote

BOSTON — House lawmakers in the Massachusetts State House are set to debate legislation aimed at increasing transparency in public records.

But State Auditor Diana DiZoglio is blasting the new bill that the House could vote on as early as Wednesday.

Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano said the bill will increase access to public records and establish a clear framework for legislative audits.

DiZoglio, on the other hand, said she’s “deeply disturbed” by what she’s witnessing in the State House.

The bill could broaden what the House of Representatives shares with the public, but it stops short of complying with the state’s public records requirements.

Right now, Gov. Maura Healey and the Legislature are both exempt from those requirements.

This bill would allow the public access to a “Legislative record” and would apply public records laws to the Governor’s Office, but not to the lawmakers.

The bill also appears to prevent courts from ruling on any disputes between the auditor and the legislature over the production of records.

“If there’s any disagreement about that, that the few little records that they’re going to breadcrumb us with, that if even on those things we have any sort of a disagreement, they are saying that the courts don’t have a right to hear the case, adjudicate it, and settle a dispute,” said DiZoglio in a video posted to X.

Mariano said he hopes the legislation will put an end to protracted litigation.

“These measures will build on the rules reforms that the legislature adopted earlier this session, and will ensure greater transparency while respecting legislative privilege and the separation-of-powers principles outlined in the state constitution,” said Mariano.

Dizoglio said the bill essentially negates everything voters wanted in November of 2024, when they approved a ballot question for her office to audit the state legislature and to provide independent oversight.

“They didn’t even speak to the auditor’s office about this proposed change to the auditors’ offices governing statute, to the law that dictates how we get to do our jobs. They didn’t even speak to us,” said DiZoglio.

“They are telling you that your vote did not matter,” she said.

Just last Thursday, the State Senate voted to turn over records to DiZoglio.

Mariano said that method “would not be the appropriate method of affirming our legislative prerogative as a coequal branch of government -- nor would it allow us to address future inquiries or resolve the endless legal disputes that have come to define the audit ballot question.”

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