Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 268B, § 7 (2026)

Penalties for violation of confidentiality and for perjury

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 7. Any person who violates the confidentiality of a commission inquiry under the provisions of paragraph (a) of section four of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

Any person who willfully affirms or swears falsely in regard to any material matter before a commission proceeding under paragraph (c) of section four of this chapter, or who willfully files a materially false statement of financial interests under section five of this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years, or both.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 4 cases, 1986–2005 · leading case: Scaccia v. State Ethics Comm'n, 727 N.E.2d 824 (Mass. 2000).

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Scaccia v. State Ethics Comm'n, 727 N.E.2d 824 (Mass. 2000). · cites it 2× “268B, § 6; the financial disclosure law, G. L. c. 268B, § 7; and the public officials’ code of conduct statute, G.”

Doe v. State Ethics Comm'n, 827 N.E.2d 694 (Mass. 2005). · cites it 2× “See G. L. c. 268B, § 7 (any person who violates confidentiality of commission inquiry under § 4 [a] “shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both”).”

State Ethics Comm'n v. Doe, 631 N.E.2d 37 (Mass. 1994). “I find support for my construction of this statute in G. L. c. 268B, § 7. Section 7 punishes “[a]ny person who willfully affirms or swears falsely in regard to any material matter before a commission proceeding under paragraph (c) of section four of [c.”

Opinion of the Justices to the Senate, 396 Mass. 1211 (Mass. 1986). “The proposal which the Justices are asked to examine, G. L. c. 268B, § 7, does not advance a reasonable “time, place, or manner” restriction on speech.”

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