Criminal Justice

introduced · Massachusetts · House Jan 29, 2025

HD 4309: An Act to dissolve and reform Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct

HD 4309 proposes dissolving Massachusetts' current Commission on Judicial Conduct (CJC) and creating a new, publicly appointed commission to handle judicial misconduct complaints. The new commission would consist of members selected from the public (not judges, lawyers, or government officials) serving one-year terms with no reappointments, and must publicly disclose member information. It aims to replace the current system, which the bill states fails to investigate public complaints about judges and allows judges to review other judges, by establishing independent oversight. The reform directly affects how judicial misconduct complaints are processed, requiring open hearings and transparency in addressing allegations against state court judges.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReforms judicial conduct oversight by replacing a failing system with a transparent, public commission, promoting accountability in courts (key criminal justice component).90% confidence

Sub-Topics Judges

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 22, 2026

S 1680: An Act establishing a peace officer oath

By Ms. Edwards, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1680) of Lydia Edwards for legislation to establish an ethic oath for peace officers. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishing an ethic oath for peace officers promotes accountability, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like enhanced police oversight.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Dec 4, 2025

S 1689: An Act eliminating no cost calls for violent incarcerated individuals

By Mr. Fattman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1689) of Ryan C. Fattman for legislation to eliminate no cost calls for violent incarcerated individuals. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeEliminates free calls for violent inmates, restricting communication rights and aligning with punitive correctional policies rather than reform.85% confidence

Tags Public Safety

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Dec 4, 2025

S 1639: An Act protecting inmate safety and the expenditure of state funds

By Mr. Barrett, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1639) of Michael J. Barrett for legislation to protect inmate safety and the expenditure of state funds. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly protects inmate safety, a core correctional aspect of criminal justice, aligning with reform goals to improve facility conditions and safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 15, 2026

S 1643: An Act relative to access to community corrections

By Mr. Brownsberger, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1643) of William N. Brownsberger for legislation relative to access to community corrections. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill focuses on improving access to community corrections programs, a core criminal justice reform strategy aimed at reducing incarceration and promoting rehabilitation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jun 26, 2025

S 108: An Act protecting youth during custodial interrogations

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 108) of Cynthia Stone Creem for legislation protecting youth during custodial interrogations. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly protects youth during custodial interrogations, aligning with criminal justice reform by safeguarding civil rights and enhancing police accountability for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 19, 2026

H 2702: An Act to protect correctional officers

HD 4191 increases penalties for assaulting correctional officers and other facility staff, requiring a minimum 5-year prison sentence for such assaults. It also creates new workplace protections for workers exposed to synthetic cannabinoids (K2/Spice) during their jobs, including correctional officers, first responders, and healthcare workers. Affected employees can now access medical leave under Massachusetts law, workers' compensation, and continued health insurance during recovery. The bill requires them to use other short-term disability benefits first before accessing the new medical leave benefits.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly protects correctional officers, directly supporting corrections within the criminal justice system per its title and summary.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly protects correctional officers (a workforce) by improving workplace safety, a core Labor & Employment topic. No ambiguity in intent to safeguard workers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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in committee · Massachusetts · House Sep 11, 2025

H 4470: An Act to implement recommendations of the Commission on structural racism in the parole process

This bill restructures Massachusetts' parole board and requires new data collection to address racial disparities in the parole process. It mandates that at least 3 board members have mental health/social work experience, includes at least one formerly incarcerated person (who completed parole 3+ years ago), and requires the board to annually publish detailed demographic data on parole violations, revocations, and processing times broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender. The bill also requires parole boards to provide specific written justifications for decisions and detail required services for denied applicants. These changes directly affect incarcerated individuals seeking parole, parole board members, and correctional facilities managing parole cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAddresses racial disparities in parole via data transparency, diverse board composition, and reform mandates, directly advancing criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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passed · Massachusetts · House Apr 23, 2026

H 2687: An Act relative to protecting Massachusetts residents against federal government surveillance

This bill (HD 4038) defines "protected information" as data about individuals' political, religious, or social views, associations, or activities, and restricts Massachusetts law enforcement from collecting or sharing this data without specific justification. It requires criminal intelligence systems (like fusion centers) to conduct annual audits tracking data access, maintain detailed logs of protected information sharing, and destroy unreliable data every five years. Law enforcement must obtain written authorization to investigate based on protected information and can only share such data with other agencies after prior written approval. The bill directly affects Massachusetts residents by limiting how state agencies handle sensitive personal information related to beliefs and associations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts personal data access by criminal justice agencies to protect civil rights against surveillance, aligning with reform indicators like privacy safeguards.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill restricts criminal justice agencies' access to personal data, strengthening privacy protections against surveillance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Dec 4, 2025

S 1723: An Act establishing the Massachusetts correctional officer accountability and standards training Commission

By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1723) of Liz Miranda and William N. Brownsberger for legislation to establish the Massachusetts correctional officer accountability and standards training Commission. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes commission for correctional officer accountability and training, enhancing oversight and standards in corrections per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

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