An Act to clarify the charitable purposes of certain organizations

This bill amends Massachusetts law to clarify how liability is handled when charities are sued for torts, such as personal injury. It establishes that a charity cannot use its charitable status as a complete defense in a lawsuit unless the incident occurred while directly pursuing its charitable mission and the organization receives over half its income from donations, or if the charity was primarily established for religious purposes. Under these specific conditions, the maximum financial liability for the charity is capped at twenty thousand dollars, excluding interest and legal costs. The measure directly affects corporations, trusts, and associations that qualify as charities and operate within the state.