H 2734 Massachusetts House · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act to repeal pay-to-stay fees

This bill repeals "pay-to-stay" fees for incarcerated individuals and juvenile offenders. It prohibits prison officials from deducting earnings for room, board, or living expenses from inmates' pay, and bans courts from ordering parents or guardians to pay for juvenile care from a child's property. The law applies retroactively to all deductions or payment orders made since January 2020, requiring refunds for affected individuals. It also mandates that the Commonwealth cover all costs of incarceration without passing them to inmates or their families.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Governor
Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action Jan 27, 2026
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
6
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Jan 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to the committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Chris Worrell
Chris Worrell
DDemocratic
MA
5th Suffolk