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WHO MUST FILE A STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS
The financial disclosure law, G.L. Chapter 268B, requires that every designated public employee, public official, and candidate file an annual SFI. Designated public employees and public officials are required to file an SFI for the calendar year in which they left government service unless they served for less than thirty (30) days in that year. In addition, designated public employees who are newly appointed in 2025 must file an SFI for the prior year, calendar year 2024, within thirty (30) days of beginning employment.
Designated public employees include state and county employees who are designated pursuant to Chapter 268B as holding major policymaking positions in a governmental body. The Commission's regulations defining a designated public employee appear in 930 CMR 2.00 et seq. which is available on the Commission's website at www.mass.gov/ethics. A public official is an individual who holds a public office, whether by election or appointment. A public office is a position for which one is nominated at a state primary or chosen at a state election, excluding the positions of Senator and Representative in Congress. A candidate is an individual who seeks nomination or election to any position for which one is nominated at a state primary or chosen at a state election, excluding the positions of Senator or Representative in Congress.
WHEN TO FILE AN SFI FOR CY 2024
A filer’s SFI must be electronically received by the Commission no later than midnight on the applicable deadline date. SFIs received later than the deadlines will be regarded as late and a filer may be subject to penalties.
Designated public employees who have previously filed an SFI must file an SFI for calendar year 2024 by midnight on or before Thursday, May 1, 2025, if they served for thirty (30) days or more in 2024. If they left government service in 2024, but served as a designated public employee for thirty (30) days or more in 2024, they must file an SFI for calendar year 2024.
Public officials must file an SFI no later than midnight on or before Tuesday, May 27, 2025, if they held office during 2024 or were elected to office in 2024. Former public officials must file by midnight on or before May 27, 2025, if they served for thirty (30) days or more in 2024. Candidates must file an SFI on or prior to the date on which they submit their nomination papers to the Secretary of State's Office. Write-in or sticker candidates must file an SFI within three (3) days after filing a Statement of Organization with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
WHAT A FILER IS REQUIRED TO REPORT
Chapter 268B requires a filer to report certain information about themselves as well as any spouse and/or dependent child(ren) residing in the filer’s household during the applicable calendar year. Filers should carefully review any definitions and/or instructions for a question. Your SFI must be complete and accurate to the best of your knowledge. In your SFI, you are not required to disclose information which is privileged by law. If you assert a privilege with respect to any answer or a part of any answer, you must identify each question where information has been omitted and explain the basis of your claim of privilege.
WHY FILE ELECTRONICALLY
Filing electronically will assist you in submitting a complete and accurate SFI. Each question is set up to perform certain validation functions to ensure that you provide all of the required information. If you choose to file electronically, data entered on your prior year’s SFI will rollover to the next year if you answer the applicable Overview question the same way in both years. If so, you can then update your response by adding or deleting information, if necessary.
HOW TO OBTAIN HELP
You may request assistance for technical problems with your electronic filing by contacting Rose Costa, the Special Assistant to Administration and SFI, at (617) 371-9522 or Rose.Costa@mass.gov, or Tony Webb, the Commission’s Information Technology Specialist, at (617) 371-9526 or Tony.Webb@mass.gov. If you need non-technical assistance with your filing, please contact Lauren Duca, the Commission's Legal Division Deputy Chief/SFI, at (617) 371-9503 or Lauren.Duca@mass.gov.
PENALTIES FOR FAILING TO FILE AN SFI
A filer is responsible for filing an accurate and complete SFI by the specified deadline. Failure to do so may result in civil and/or criminal penalties. No designated public employee shall be allowed to continue in their duties or to receive compensation from public funds unless they have filed an SFI with the Commission. Civil penalties of up to $10,000 may be imposed for each violation. Criminal penalties for the willful submission of a materially false SFI may include fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment in a state prison for not more than five years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than two and a half years, or both.
LATE FILING OF AN SFI
By law, the Commission must notify each late filer. If a filer does not file the required SFI within ten (10) calendar days after receiving a late notice, the Commission may commence enforcement proceedings. If a filer fails to file within ten (10) calendar days after receiving a late notice from the Commission, a monetary penalty will begin to accrue according to the following penalty schedule established by the Commission:
Civil Penalty Schedule for Late Filing of an SFI:
1-10 days late | $100 |
11-20 days late | $200 |
21-30 days late | $300 |
31-40 days late | $400 |
41-50 days late | $500 |
51-60 days late | $600 |
61-70 days late | $700 |
71-80 days late | $800 |
81-90 days late | $900 |
91-100 days late | $1,000 |
101- 110 days late | $1,100 |
111-120 days late | $1,200 |
121 days to the day before an Order to Show Cause is issued | $1,250 |
The date an Order to Show Cause is issued to the day before a Decision and Order is issued by the Commission | $2,500 |
The date a Decision and Order is issued by the Commission | Up to $10,000 |