Charlie Baker on Government Reform

Automatic voter registration via RMV and MassHealth

The automatic voter registration law makes Massachusetts the 14th state to adopt such a measure. Under the new law, eligible residents who interact with the Registry of Motor Vehicles or the MassHealth program will have to opt out if they don't want to join the voter rolls, rather than opt in.

The law also allows the secretary of state to reach agreements with state agencies to automatically register voters if they meet certain criteria, potentially further expanding the net the state can cast to reach eligible residents.

Baker previously said he had confidence that the state could install automatic voter registration with a "fairly high degree of integrity" at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

Declined to sign "People's Pledge" against outside PAC ads

More campaign finance disclosure but remove union exemptions

Of all the candidates for governor, Baker was most critical of the bill. Baker targeted a "carveout" in the legislation for organizations, such as labor unions, that would leave untouched state campaign finance rules that permit them to give candidates up to $15,000.(Boston Globe, 7/1/2014)

Supports open meeting law: make legislative debate public

$500 donor limit is crazy; it's suppression of free speech