An Act to promote correctional personnel safety
This bill amends Massachusetts law to increase penalties for inmates who assault correctional staff with dangerous weapons. It directly affects prisoners in jails, houses of correction, detention facilities, and state prisons, as well as the officers, employees, and volunteers who work in these locations. Under the new provision, anyone convicted of such an assault faces up to 2.5 years in a local facility or up to 20 years in state prison, with the new sentence added to any existing time they must serve. The definition of a dangerous weapon is expanded to include custom-made or homemade items, ensuring that improvised tools used in an attack are covered by the stricter penalties.
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 · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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