Criminal Justice in Massachusetts

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1541: An Act protecting personal security

This bill amends name change procedures in court to prioritize safety for vulnerable individuals. It requires courts to obtain a probation report before approving name changes and verify birth records (with limited exceptions). Crucially, courts must keep name change records private if a safety risk exists - such as gender non-conformity, being transgender, or being a domestic violence survivor - without requiring proof of prior threats. This protects petitioners' privacy by segregating their records and creating a separate court index for such cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Probation & Parole

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4077: An Act to prevent predatory towing fees for police-authorized tows

HD 4077 requires the Department of Utilities to set and publish maximum fees for towing and storage services provided by companies contracted with police departments. It caps fees based on vehicle size, storage time, and additional services like winching, and mandates the department update these fees every two years. Towing companies must follow these approved fees, with penalties for violations, and the Department can investigate complaints or suspend contracts for repeated non-compliance. This bill directly affects vehicle owners who have their vehicles towed by police-contracted services and aims to prevent excessive charges.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Policing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 75: An Act relative to American Sign Language training

HD 75 requires basic American Sign Language (ASL) training for public safety personnel. It mandates that fire service, police, and ambulance service training programs include ASL courses to enable basic communication with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. The bill also establishes that approved ASL courses can count toward required continuing education credits for these professionals. This legislation directly affects firefighters, police officers, and ambulance service staff by integrating ASL proficiency into their standard training and certification requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Policing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 4170: An Act providing for the allowance of early evidence kits

HD 4170 establishes rules for handling sexual assault evidence kits, directly affecting victims of sexual assault, hospitals, law enforcement, and crime labs. The bill requires hospitals to inform victims their evidence will be kept for at least 15 years and prohibits destruction before conviction completion, suspect death, or statute of limitations expiration. It mandates crime labs to test kits within 30 days of receipt and requires law enforcement to notify victims 60 days before destroying evidence or extend retention upon request. The law also creates specific guidelines for "Early Evidence Kits" (professional DNA collection when traditional exams aren't possible), including labeling requirements and victim access to test results.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Violent Crime

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1263: An Act to require school attendance up to age 18 or until graduation

HD 1263 requires all students in Massachusetts to attend school until age 18 or until they graduate high school, earn a high school equivalency diploma, or complete the twelfth grade - whichever comes first. It explicitly prohibits criminal penalties for students over 16 who miss school before meeting this requirement. The bill also establishes a High School Graduation Commission to study barriers to graduation and recommend solutions, including identifying at-risk students and improving support services. The commission must report its findings within six months of the law's effective date, focusing on factors like attendance, academic gaps, and emotional needs. This law takes effect for the next school year after passage.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1894: An Act relative to employment protections for victims of abusive behavior

This bill adds "status as a victim of abusive behavior" to Massachusetts' anti-discrimination protections in employment. It directly affects employees and job applicants experiencing domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or kidnapping (as defined in the bill), requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations like schedule changes, safety modifications, or workplace access adjustments. Employers must engage in a good-faith interactive process to find suitable accommodations and cannot discriminate against someone who requests them. The law also mandates written notice of these rights to all employees and new hires, and requires the state commission to develop educational materials about these protections within 180 days.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Domestic Violence Violent Crime Employment Discrimination

introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 752: An Act to amend the definition of hate crime

SD 752 amends Massachusetts hate crime law (Section 39 of Chapter 265) to clarify that hate crimes must target "another person" based on protected characteristics like race, religion, or sexual orientation. The bill specifically changes the language to ensure restitution ordered for property damage caused by hate crimes must be used to repair the actual damage, not diverted elsewhere. This directly affects victims of hate-motivated property damage, guaranteeing restitution funds are applied to repair their property. The changes focus on precise legal wording to strengthen enforcement of restitution requirements under existing hate crime statutes.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Victims' Rights

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3706: An Act to strengthen critical incident stress management for emergency service providers

This bill (HD 3706) amends Massachusetts law to clarify and expand support for emergency service providers experiencing psychological stress. It updates definitions to explicitly include corrections officers, police dispatchers, and 911 operators under "critical incident stress management" programs. The changes ensure these programs provide immediate psychological care to both individuals and groups of covered providers after critical incidents. The bill directly affects all emergency service personnel listed in the updated definitions by defining the scope of available stress management support. It does not create new programs but refines existing legal language to broaden eligibility and application.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Policing

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2929: An Act to promote the health and safety of people in the sex trade

This bill redefines terms related to sex work and makes significant changes to Massachusetts laws. It defines "commercial sex" and "sex worker" (Section 1), repeals provisions criminalizing sex workers sharing earnings with others (Sections 2-5), and replaces a harsh law against "supporting" sex workers with one that explicitly excludes sex workers sharing their own income (Section 6). The bill also strengthens trafficking penalties (Section 7), including life sentences for trafficking minors, and creates a new expungement process for past marijuana and prostitution-related convictions (Section 8). It directly affects sex workers by altering criminal penalties and expanding record clearance options, while targeting traffickers with stricter punishments.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Human Trafficking

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2241: An Act to enhance protections against child exploitation and misuse of emerging technologies

This bill updates Massachusetts law to address child exploitation involving new technologies like artificial intelligence. It defines AI-generated images of children, deepfakes, and "child-like sex dolls" as illegal, expanding existing protections to cover digital content. Offenders face increased prison sentences (up to 40 years for repeat offenses) and must pay victim restitution for counseling and legal costs. The law also establishes a task force to monitor technology risks and funds victim support services including counseling and legal aid.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✗ Technology

Sub-Topics Victims' Rights Artificial Intelligence

All criminal justice bills