MA H5010

Initiative petition filed with 96,797 signatures to reform how Massachusetts legislators receive stipends on top of base salaries, with effective date of January 6, 2027

Creates tiered stipend structure: Senate President and House Speaker receive up to 75% of base salary; Ways and Means chairs and floor leaders up to 50%; assistant floor leaders and committee vice chairs up to 33%; eligible committee chairs up to 33%; rank-and-file committee members up to 20%

Ties 50% of leadership stipends to committee "compliance" - committees must hold public hearings and mark-up sessions on all referred bills by specified deadlines (November 1 of first year, April 15 of second year) and approve reports by majority vote at public meetings

Eligible committees defined as those with more than 50 bills referred before March 1 of the session's first year; Senate and House clerks must jointly certify compliance and calculate compliance percentages

Caps stipends at two positions for senators and one position for representatives; prorates compensation for members serving less than a full biennial session