New MA Laws Take Effect In 2025: What Changes To Expect?

MASSACHUSETTS — With the dawn of 2025 comes new laws in effect across the state that may have a considerable effect on businesses, residents, and municipalities across Massachusetts.

While voters turned down ballot initiatives — such as the way tipped workers are paid — during this past election cycle, there are some new laws that may have flown under the radar but were passed on Beacon Hill in 2024.

The biggest law that has been on the books for years could start to bring some repercussions for non-compliant communities that are no longer eligible for many state grants under the MBTA Communities Act. The law — signed into effect under former Gov. Charlie Baker — is designed to increase housing production by making communities served by the MBTA and Commuter Rail — either directly or regionally — create multi-family zoning by right in a portion of the city or town or become ineligible for the funding.

• North Shore Cities, Towns Split On State MBTA Zoning Mandate Merits

While the majority of cities and towns adopted the guidelines, some holdouts remain with Milton currently in litigation with the state over the mandate. Cities and towns that provisionally were approved for grants under the requirement that they become eligible by the Dec. 31, 2024 deadline could lose out on that funding entirely in 2025.

• Peabody City Council Set To Bend On State MBTA Zoning Law Opposition

One other new law is the "Act Relatively To Salary Range Transparency" that Gov. Maura Healey signed last year. Starting on Feb. 1, 2025, employers with at least 25 employees will have to submit data on pay and demographics to the state. Starting in October, covered employers looking to hire in Massachusetts will be required to disclose salary ranges in job postings or in the case of a promotion or transfer of a current employee.

The law prohibits an employer from terminating or retaliating against any employee or applicant for asking for salary ranges when applying for a job or promotion or otherwise enforcing their rights under the new law.

Massachusetts is the third state to expand its approach to promoting pay equity by collecting data about pay and demographics from employers. Penalties begin with a warning for a first offense and increase to up to a $25,000 fine for each violation for a fourth or subsequent offense.

The Massachusetts Parentage Act will also go into effect on Jan. 1 — using updated language to replace parochial terms designed to codify parental rights for LGBTQ+ couples and afford them the same rights as heterosexual parents.

The law also recognizes and protects parents using surrogacy, in-vitro fertilization and other methods of assisted reproduction.