By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 36) of Jason M. Lewis, Jack Patrick Lewis, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Sheila C. Harrington and other members of the General Court for legislation to further regulate the prevention of cruelty to farm animals. Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 524) of James B. Eldridge, Ruth B. Balser, Tami L. Gouveia, Brendan P. Crighton and other members of the General Court for legislation to preserve open space in the commonwealth. Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
By Messrs. Fernandes of Falmouth and Livingstone of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2640) of Dylan A. Fernandes, Jay D. Livingstone and others relative to authorizing independent retirement systems to divest from fossil fuel companies. Public Service.
By Representatives Sabadosa of Northampton and Hawkins of Attleboro, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Lindsay N. Sabadosa, James K. Hawkins and others relative to schools reopening for full in-person learning. Education.
Maddy summaryHD 2921 requires all Massachusetts state prisons, state correctional facilities, and county correctional facilities to establish elected "incarcerated persons councils" composed of 5-15 incarcerated individuals. These councils, elected annually by the incarcerated population and serving one-year terms, serve as formal channels for inmates to raise concerns about facility conditions, policies, and programs directly to administration. The bill mandates monthly meetings, quarterly written reports to facility leadership, and requires facilities to provide resources for council operations while prohibiting retaliation against members for participating. It also obligates the Department of Correction to develop regulations for council operations and review their effectiveness biennially. This bill directly affects all incarcerated people in Massachusetts correctional facilities by creating a structured, protected mechanism for their input.
