O'Connor files bill to allow Selective Service registration through RMV applications

Sen. Patrick M. O'Connor filed legislation Jan. 12 that would permit Massachusetts registrars to forward information to the federal Selective Service System when people apply for a driver's license, identification card, learner's permit or renew those documents.

The bill, filed as Senate No. 2429 and titled “An Act to ensure benefits through enhanced Selective Service registration,” would add Section 8N to Chapter 90 of the Massachusetts General Laws and instruct registrars to notify applicants ages 16 through 25 about the federal duty to register at 18 and — unless the applicant declines in writing — to transmit the information required for registration in electronic form no sooner than the applicant’s 18th birthday.

The measure requires registrars to tell applicants that signing an application for a license, permit or ID may constitute consent to forward information to the Selective Service System and that declining to consent will not be grounds to deny driving privileges or a basis for discrimination. Notices must be provided verbally and in a written document in English, Spanish and any other languages the registrar determines appropriate. The bill states registrars shall not distribute lists of applicants who declined consent and limits the compilation and disclosure of such lists to administrative needs only.

The legislation references the Military Selective Service Act and specifically contemplates compliance with section 3 of that federal statute. It also directs the registrar to forward only the information necessary to register the applicant and to transmit it electronically no sooner than the applicant’s 18th birthday.

Implementation of the bill is explicitly contingent on the registrar of motor vehicles receiving sufficient federal funds to pay a reasonable portion of the initial start-up costs for computer programming changes necessary to transmit data to the Selective Service Administration. The bill requires the registrar to seek those federal funds and to report to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means when the department has received such funds.

The filing cites similar matter from the previous legislative session (Senate No. 2281 of 2023–2024). The bill was presented by Patrick M. O'Connor for the First Plymouth and Norfolk district and was referred to the Transportation committee for consideration; no committee action or floor votes are recorded in the filing.

Next steps under the legislative process are referral to the Transportation committee and any subsequent committee hearings, amendments or votes; the bill text does not specify timelines for committee review or enactment.