According to The Boston Globe, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has publicly voiced his support for some restrictions on noncompete agreements, but he does not want to abolish them entirely. Specifically, Governor Baker supports the bill passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives (discussed previously here), but not the far more restrictive bill passed by the Massachusetts Senate (discussed here). According to Governor Baker’s spokesman:
The Governor favors the House version of the noncompete legislation because he believes it better balances workers’ abilities to seek new employment while ensuring cutting edge businesses can protect essential intellectual property. . . . Finding the right compromise on this issue is essential to ensuring innovative businesses want to stay and grow in the Commonwealth.
A conference committee, being led by House Ways and Means Chairman Brian Dempsey and Senator Daniel Wolf, with Representatives John Scibak and Jay Barrows and Senators William Brownsberger and Ryan Fattman, will attempt to resolve the differences between the competing bills by the end of the formal legislative session, which wraps up for the year on July 31.
We will be monitoring and will report on any progress in the conference committee this week, so stay tuned.