Massachusetts House Advances Renter Rights, Non-Compete Bills Toward Floor Vote

BOSTON — March 16, 2026 — The Massachusetts House advanced a renter rights bill and a non-competition agreements measure toward a floor vote during a brief March 16 formal session. The chamber suspended Rule 7A by voice vote and ordered 14 bills — including House 5095 on consumer rights of renters and House 2118 on non-competition agreements — to a third reading, while also passing to enactment local measures affecting Bourne, Concord, North Attleboro, Charlemont, Conway, Longmeadow, Salem, and Holyoke, among others. A division vote on the emergency preamble to House 4763, validating the town of Bourne's May 20, 2025, annual election results, recorded three members voting in favor and none in opposition. Two Boston-specific age-waiver bills — House 4267 for a police officer and House 4582 for a firefighter — were passed to be engrossed. The House adjourned to meet in full formal session Wednesday, March 18, at 11 a.m., with a Democratic caucus called for noon in rooms A1 and A2.