Massachusetts Legislative History 2026

Format: Online Only
Registration & Logistics: This program is free, but self-registration is required.

Faculty

• Hon. Robert Toone, Massachusetts Appeals Court
• Brian Harkins, Senior Reference Attorney, Social Law Library

Determining legislative intent is a critical component of interpreting Massachusetts statutory law, particularly when a statute is ambiguous, fails to address a specific issue, or contains apparent drafting errors. 

In these and other instances, intent must be inferred from the statute’s legislative history. Successful advocates must be able to reconstruct this history by "stitching together" a variety of sources including:

• Bill Text & Amendments: Evolution of the bill, including accepted and rejected amendments.
• Legislative Documents: Reports from committees, House and Senate documents, and recorded floor debates or speeches.
• Executive Branch Records: Governor’s messages and related statements that clarify the purpose of the legislation.

Massachusetts Appeals Court Justice Robert Toone, and the Social Law Library’s Senior Reference Attorney, Brian Harkins, will demonstrate how and where to find these and other sources using both traditional print archives and modern online resources. 

Effective advocacy often hinges on the research skills required to reconstruct a statute’s history and the ability to artfully argue that intent in pleadings, briefs, and oral arguments.