Massachusetts, like a number of states, is considering new pay-to-play rules.  This report from the Worcester Telegram summarizes some of the proposals.

Legislation to ban pay-to-play politics could still be taken up by the Senate when it acts on the House ethics reform package, and the sponsor of a pay-to-play law here, state Sen. James B. Eldridge, D-Acton, is making the case that the House reforms and others proposed by Gov. Deval L. Patrick “don’t go far enough.”

“We’ve had over the past year an alarming number of scandals within the Legislature, sweetheart deals for special interests, unreported lobbying, pension abuse, bribery, shady campaign donations and expenditures, and lobbyists literally thumbing their noses at state regulators,” Mr. Eldridge said.