MassachusettsH 4249194th General Court (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

An Act relative to vital statistics

Sponsored By: NONE

Signed by Governor

House Bills in the Third Reading

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Stronger privacy in vital records

Beginning July 1, 2025, a birth to unmarried parents does not list the other parent unless parentage is legally acknowledged or decided. Death records no longer include a Social Security number. These rules reduce identity theft risk and protect family privacy.

Standard data for births, marriages, deaths

Beginning July 1, 2025, local clerks must record standard facts for births, marriages, and deaths in their city or town. For births, they record the baby’s date and place of birth, name, sex, residence, and each parent’s birth name, birthplace, and birth date. For marriages, they record the wedding date and place, the officiant’s name, residence, and official station, plus each person’s name, birth date and place, residence, age, marriage number, prior status, and parents’ birth names. For deaths, they record the date; full name; gender, race, marital status, education; spouse name if ever married; age; residence; job; place of death and of birth; parents’ birth names and birthplaces; cause of death; and where and how the body is handled. Clerks also collect any extra data required by federal law, state rules, or the state health commissioner.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • NONE

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by the Governor, Chapter 68 of the Acts of 2025

    11/20/2025
  2. Re-enacted and again laid before the Governor

    11/13/2025Senate
  3. Re-enacted

    11/12/2025House
  4. Emergency preamble adopted

    11/10/2025Senate
  5. Emergency preamble adopted

    11/10/2025House
  6. Governor's amendment adopted

    11/6/2025Senate
  7. Rules suspended

    11/6/2025Senate
  8. Governor's amendment considered (in the form approved by the committee on Bills in the Third Reading)

    10/8/2025House
  9. Bills in the Third Reading special report accepted

    10/8/2025House
  10. Referred to the committee on House Bills in the Third Reading

    7/10/2025House
  11. For message, see H4250, Attachment C

    7/4/2025House
  12. Governor returned to the House with recommendation of amendment

    7/4/2025House
  13. Enacted as section 29 of the General Appropriation Bill, see H4240

    7/4/2025House

Bill Text

  • Chapter 68 of the Acts of 2025

    11/20/2025

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