H 1509 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act to protect victims of rape and children conceived during the commission of said offense

This bill allows the mother of a child conceived through rape to petition a court to terminate the perpetrator's parental rights. It applies to both married women and unmarried mothers, permitting them to file these petitions at any time. The law establishes that a guilty plea or conviction for rape serves as conclusive proof that the child was conceived via the offense, and it presumes that ending the perpetrator's parental rights is in the child's best interest.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Feb 2023
Senate Passage
Feb 2023
Governor
Introduced Feb 16, 2023 Last action Jun 5, 2024
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
1
Committee
1
Feb 16, 2023
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 16, 2023
Committee
Referred to the committee on The Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Colleen Garry
Colleen Garry
DDemocratic
MA
36th Middlesex