By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 968) of Sal N. DiDomenico, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Joanne M. Comerford, Susannah M. Whipps and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote housing stability and homelessness prevention through a right to counsel pilot program in Massachusetts in response to the COVID-emergency. Housing.
This bill (H 4645, now Chapter 79 of the Acts of 2025) increases penalties for assaulting public transit workers while they are on duty. It makes it a crime to commit assault and battery - including using bodily substances like blood or saliva - against a transit worker performing their job, punishable by 90 days to 2.5 years in jail or fines of $500 to $5,000. The law specifically defines "bodily substance" to include human secretions such as saliva, urine, or feces. It directly affects transit workers by strengthening legal protections during their work. The bill was enacted in late 2025 after passing both legislative chambers and receiving the Governor’s signature.
By Representative Ayers of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by resolutions, House, No. 3827) of Bruce J. Ayers for the adoption of resolutions by the General Court memorializing the Congress of the United States to update the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 and remove excessive training requirements mandated for obtaining a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine. Veterans and Federal Affairs.
By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1087) of James B. Eldridge, Brandy Fluker-Reid, Christopher J. Worrell, Joanne M. Comerford and others for legislation to abolish sentences of life without parole for individuals who committed crimes while they were considered minors or young adults. The Judiciary.
By Ms. Lovely, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1165) of Joan B. Lovely and Mark C. Montigny for legislation to amend the statute of limitations regarding criminal prosecutions for the crimes of sexual assault and rape of a child. The Judiciary.
By Representative Keefe of Worcester, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1812) of Mary S. Keefe and Carmine Lawrence Gentile relative to access to parole hearings. The Judiciary.
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.
By Representative Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No. 2017) of Chynah Tyler for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to gender responsive programming for juvenile justice system involved girls. The Judiciary.
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.
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.
