H 1701 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act supporting survivors of trafficking and abuse and encouraging increased access to opportunities through expungement and/or sealing of records

This bill aims to help survivors of abuse, human trafficking, and involuntary sexual relations by allowing them to have certain criminal records expunged or sealed. It directly affects individuals who have been victims of these crimes and later faced legal charges related to their victimization. The law creates a specific category for offenses resulting from such victimization and establishes a rebuttable presumption that a defendant's actions were due to their trauma, though official documentation is not strictly required to apply. Judges will be able to consider credible evidence and testimony when deciding on petitions for relief, and the bill also adds a prohibition against making sealed or expunged records available for inspection.
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
0 primary · 28 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.