How I voted on H.5350 Cannabis conference committee report and S.2581

HOW I VOTED ON H.5350 – CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT

On Wednesday, April 8th , 2026 the Massachusetts House or Representatives accepted the Conference Committee Report on An Act Relative to Modernizing Cannabis Laws in the Commonwealth (H.5350).

I voted YES on this conference committee report.

The conference committee report is a result of the House and Senate resolving differences between cannabis reform bills passed in both chambers (House passed its bill on June 19, 2025). The conference committee report was accepted by the House by a unanimous, bipartisan vote of 155 YAY and 0 NAY. It was enacted by the House on April 9th and laid before the Governor for her signature.

This conference committee report reduces the number of members of the Cannabis Control Commission from five to three and designates the Governor as the sole appointing authority under.

The report also increases the amount of marijuana a person can legally possess from one to two ounces, allows cannabis retailers to hold up to six store licenses, allows investors to own up to 20% of businesses, incentivizes employee-owned businesses, improves equity and further studies how to address elicit hemp products in light of new federal regulations. The committee report also creates a portal where people can anonymously submit complaints about possible regulatory violations.

HOW I VOTED ON S.2581 (amended)

On Wednesday, April 8, 2026, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed S.2581 (amended), An Act to promote student learning and mental health. I voted YES on S.2581 as amended.

This bill requires social media companies to implement age verification systems to prohibit users under the age of 14, and require parental consent from prospective social media users aged 14 and 15.

Additionally, the bill will protect students from distracting technology during the school day by prohibiting the use of cell phones from school arrival through dismissal. The bill will also require districts to educate students in age-appropriate ways about the responsible use of social media, including potential harms to emotional and mental health and bullying.

There were two consolidated amendments.

Link for text: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2581/Amendments/House

Amendment A: Passed, unanimously on a bipartisan vote of 155 YAY, 0 NAY.

Amendment B: Passed, on a bipartisan vote of 144 YAY, 10 NAY.

The bill passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan vote of 129 YAY, 25 NAY. Having passed the Senate already, the bill now goes back to the Senate for further consideration.

The bill passed by the House does the following:

Social Media Ban for Children

• Requires social media companies to implement an age verification system based on the best technology available in order to reasonably and accurately identify a current or prospective user’s age

• Prohibits minors under the age of 14 from social media platforms, by requiring platforms to terminate users under said age and delete associated personal information effective October 1, 2026.

• Requires social media platforms to acquire verifiable parental consent for 14- and 15-year-old users of their platforms

  
  

Platforms must publicly post information related to:

• The number of users processed using the age verification system

• The number of users granted access to the social media feed due to the age determination appeal process

• The number of users denied access to the social media feed due to the user not meeting age requirements

• The number of users granted access to the social media feed after providing the platform with verifiable parental consent

• The number of account user age verification review requests

• The number of accounts subsequently terminated for not meeting age requirements due to account user age verification review requests

• Platforms found to be in violation of these requirements will be subject to civil fines.

• Prohibits social media platforms from sharing information about a minor’s LGBTQ+ status or other characteristics protected under state law.

• Directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) to provide guidance to districts on effective instruction on social media use.

• Directs the AGO  to promulgate regulations for online protections, annually review the definition of “social media platform,” and maintain a public platform for reporting potential violations. 

Requirements for School Districts

• Must implement a policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices as determined by the School Committee. Districts must implement the policy during the school-day and during school sponsored activities occurring during the school-day. Districts must also notify parents of said policy and ensure that parents still have the ability to contact their children during the school day and vice versa. This prohibition can be put into effect by way of:

  • Secure storage of personal electronic devices

  • The use of technology that renders personal electronic devices inoperable

  • Other methods, which will require the approval of DESE

    
    

• Must file their policy annually, no later than September 1st , to DESE.

• Districts must make accommodations and exceptions as necessary, including for students with: IEPs or disabilities that require the use of personal electronic devices; documented medical needs, including to treat or monitor a health condition; language access and translation needs, as authorized by the superintendent or a designee. Accommodations and exceptions must also be made in the event of an emergency.

Requirements for DESE

• Provide guidance, recommendations, and a model policy to help districts with developing and implementing effective policies regarding the prohibition of personal electronic devices during the school day

• Includes discipline safeguards to ensure that expulsion/suspension can't be imposed solely for violating device policies.

• Includes DESE reporting requirements on implementation device policies, and effects of social media education.

Pilot Program

• DESE must issue a request for proposals for a pilot program in which 10 districts may participate that shall provide for a technological means of rendering a personal electronic device inoperable on school grounds during the school day.

• DESE may select one or more bidders to provide such technology. In making such selection, DESE must consider the technology’s:

  • Compliance with state and federal privacy laws;

  • Flexibility to allow districts to provide access to applications other than those designed for texting or talking;

  • Ability to allow parents and students to communicate with each other;

  • Ability to allow communication between students and emergency providers (911)

• The geo-fencing pilot includes privacy safeguards, including that providers can't collect data for advertising or profiling.