Criminal Justice

passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 29, 2026

S 1113: An Act relative to removing criminal penalties for limited psilocybin possession

S 1113 would remove criminal penalties for possessing small, limited amounts of psilocybin (the active compound in "magic mushrooms"). It specifically targets individuals caught with quantities below a defined threshold, eliminating the possibility of jail time, fines, or criminal records for such cases. The bill directly affects people who possess small amounts of psilocybin for personal use, shifting the response from criminal to non-criminal. This change would replace criminal prosecution with no penalties for these limited possession instances under the proposed law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill decriminalizes minor psilocybin possession, removing criminal penalties and shifting response from prosecution to non-criminal, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 26, 2026

H 2017: Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to gender-responsive programming for juvenile justice system involved girls

HD 529 establishes a special commission to study gender-responsive programming for girls involved in the juvenile justice system. The commission, composed of legislative members, state agency heads, and community service providers, will review best practices, data collection methods, recidivism rates, educational outcomes, and community input to assess current services. It must file an initial report by January 2014 and biennial reports with legislative committees, focusing on recommendations for tailored programs and service improvements for high-risk girls. This is a study commission, not a policy change, so it does not directly alter laws or services.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill proposes study of gender-responsive juvenile justice programming, aligning with reform goals to improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism for girls in the system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 26, 2026

H 1980: An Act to promote the health and safety of people in the sex trade

This bill (H 1980) would automatically remove certain past convictions related to prostitution and marijuana offenses from public criminal records. It directly affects individuals who were convicted of these specific offenses before Massachusetts laws changed to decriminalize or reduce penalties for them. The key mechanism is a streamlined process to expunge these records without requiring individuals to file separate requests. This change aims to improve access to housing, employment, and other opportunities by eliminating barriers linked to outdated convictions. The bill focuses on concrete record-removal, not altering current criminal laws.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAutomatically expunges prostitution/marijuana conviction records to improve housing/employment access, reducing recidivism barriers per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly states expungement improves housing access by removing criminal record barriers for housing applications, directly advancing tenant opportunities.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAutomatically expunges prostitution/marijuana conviction records to improve employment access for affected individuals, directly advancing labor market opportunities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Feb 2, 2026

S 1117: An Act relative to treatment, not incarceration

By Ms. Friedman, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1117) of Cindy F. Friedman, Michael J. Barrett, Russell E. Holmes, John F. Keenan and others for legislation relative to treatment, not incarceration. The Judiciary.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill explicitly advocates 'treatment, not incarceration' for criminal justice reform, promoting rehabilitation over imprisonment to reduce recidivism and align with reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill advocates for mental health treatment over incarceration, directly supporting mental health services as part of healthcare policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Mental Health

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 19, 2026

H 2634: An Act relative to sexual assault by an officer

HD 1760 amends Massachusetts law to clarify definitions related to sexual assault by law enforcement officers. It defines "control" to include supervising minors in training, interacting with suspects during investigations, or implying arrest power, and defines "coercion" to include threats of harm, schemes causing fear, or abuse of legal processes. The bill requires all law enforcement agencies to create and publicly post policies within 180 days prohibiting officers from engaging in sexual contact with suspects in prostitution investigations. These policies must specifically ban such conduct during active investigations. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies and officers interacting with suspects.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill targets sexual assault by law enforcement officers, enhancing police accountability and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 22, 2026

S 1722: An Act relative to elder and medical parole

By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1722) of Liz Miranda, Joanne M. Comerford, Adam Gomez and Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation to grant elder and medical parole. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill proposes elder/medical parole for non-threatening inmates, reducing prison populations and aligning with criminal justice reform goals like compassionate release and reducing recidivism.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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in committee · Massachusetts · House Oct 23, 2025

H 4636: An Act to advance hate-crime protections for victims who are targeted due to their gender

This bill would expand hate crime protections by adding "gender" to the list of protected characteristics in Massachusetts law. It directly affects victims targeted due to their gender by ensuring such attacks are classified as hate crimes under existing law. The key mechanism is a simple amendment to Chapter 265, Section 39, inserting "sex" after "national origin" in the legal definition. This change would allow prosecutors to pursue enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by bias against someone's gender.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill expands hate crime protections by adding gender to protected characteristics, enhancing legal safeguards for victims and promoting civil rights within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Jan 27, 2026

S 1773: An Act creating the ability of police officers to demand FID, LTC or proof of exempt status

By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1773) of Bruce E. Tarr for legislation to create the ability of police officers to demand FID, LTC or proof of exempt status. Public Safety and Homeland Security.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill grants police authority to demand FID/LTC proof, expanding enforcement powers without reform focus, aligning with 'expands criminalization' indicator.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Policing

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passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 26, 2026

H 2000: An Act establishing statewide standards for sexual assault and domestic violence service providers

HD 2288 creates a 19-member commission to establish statewide minimum service standards for sexual assault and domestic violence service providers, directly affecting organizations that receive state funding for victim support services. The commission will study current practices and recommend uniform standards covering training, policies, and quality improvements, which the executive office of health and human services must then implement. To qualify for state funds, providers must meet these standards, with a program improvement plan required after a first violation and a corrective action plan after subsequent violations. The bill mandates annual reporting on compliance and standards progress to state officials.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishing statewide standards for sexual assault/domestic violence service providers improves victim support and service quality within the criminal justice system, aligning with reform goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Violent Crime

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Oct 9, 2025

S 1145: An Act relative to the definition of strangulation

S 1145, introduced by Senator Robyn Kennedy, proposes a legal definition for the term "strangulation" in Massachusetts law. This bill would directly affect criminal cases involving assault or domestic violence by establishing a clear standard for what constitutes strangulation in court proceedings. The legislation aims to standardize legal interpretation without changing existing penalties or sentencing guidelines. It is currently under review by the Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStandardizes legal definition for strangulation in criminal/domestic violence cases, ensuring consistent court application of existing law without altering penalties.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Sentencing Violent Crime

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