2025 - 2026 Refiled Bills
What Are Refiled Bills?
Refiled bills are legislative proposals given a second chance at life. These bills reappear in a new legislative session after not being passed or fully resolved in a previous one. When a bill is introduced in the Massachusetts Legislature, it undergoes a rigorous process of review, debate, and voting. However, many bills fail to complete this journey before the session ends. This could be due to time constraints, a lack of sufficient support, or the need for further refinement and discussion.
Instead of letting these proposals fade away, lawmakers can choose to refile them in the next session. Refiled bills may be reintroduced exactly as they were, or they might include revisions based on feedback, shifts in political priorities, or new data that has emerged. This process ensures that important issues remain on the table and have another opportunity to be addressed.
A Closer Look at Refiled Bills in Massachusetts
For the 2025-2026 legislative session, the Massachusetts State Legislature faced its bill filing deadline on January 17, with 6,853 bills submitted for consideration. Of these, 48% were refiles, underscoring how many proposals carry over from prior sessions.
Over time, the number of refiled bills has grown significantly, sparking debates about legislative productivity. While some view the increase as a reflection of unresolved issues, others see it as an effort to ensure meaningful proposals aren’t lost in the shuffle of busy legislative sessions.
A clear trend emerges in this data: the sharp jump in refiled bills during the 2021-2022 session. This increase is widely attributed to disruptions caused by COVID-19, which forced many legislative priorities to the back burner. However, since then, the rate of refiling has begun to decline, though only slightly.
Who Are the Most Active Refiling Legislators?
In the 2023-2024 legislative session, several lawmakers stood out for their high number of refiled bills:
Sen. Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) led with 96 bills refiled.
Sen. Patrick O’Connor (R-Weymouth) followed closely with 93 bills.
House Minority Leader Brad Jones (R-North Reading) came in at 90 bills.
How to Track Refiled Bills in MassTrac
MassTrac makes it simple to track refiled bills and stay informed about their status and changes. Here’s how you can access this information:
Search for a Bill: Use the search bar or “My Tracks” to locate the bill you’re interested in.
2. Check for Refiles: On the left-hand side of the bill’s page, look for the “Refiles” option. Click it to see if your bill has been refiled.
3. Compare Versions: Use the bill text comparison feature to identify similarities and differences between the original bill and its refiled version.
Additional Tools
You can now easily re-track bills you saved from previous sessions by clicking the "Re-Track 2023-2024 Bills" button at “My Tracks” on your dashboard.
If you happen to delete any of your tracks, we can show you refiles of bills from last session that don’t have a matching track name. You can simply select a new track for these bills or create a new one.
Need Help? We’ve Got You Covered.
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Contact Us: Reach out to us at 617-292-1800 or info@instatrac.com for personalized assistance.
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