Rep. David DeCoste

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits courts from granting visitation or custody rights to a parent convicted of rape to their child conceived during the crime. The law affects cases where a convicted rapist seeks contact with the victim's child and directly impacts the legal rights of both the convicted parent and the child. Under this measure, a court cannot order visitation unless the child has reached the age of 18 or has been legally declared emancipated from the other parent. This change ensures that the child's autonomy is prioritized by allowing them to decide on contact with the convicted parent once they are an adult or independent. The provision applies specifically to convictions under Massachusetts statutes related to rape and the conception of the child during the offense.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to increase penalties for inmates who assault correctional staff with dangerous weapons. It directly affects prisoners in jails, houses of correction, detention facilities, and state prisons, as well as the officers, employees, and volunteers who work in these locations. Under the new provision, anyone convicted of such an assault faces up to 2.5 years in a local facility or up to 20 years in state prison, with the new sentence added to any existing time they must serve. The definition of a dangerous weapon is expanded to include custom-made or homemade items, ensuring that improvised tools used in an attack are covered by the stricter penalties.

Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens Massachusetts laws against sexual harassment and discrimination by updating the state's definition of prohibited employer conduct. It directly affects employers and employees by making it illegal to retaliate against workers for filing complaints or cooperating in investigations regarding sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The legislation also bans requiring employees to sign confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements as a condition of employment, with specific exceptions for protecting trade secrets. By removing these mandatory restrictive clauses, the bill aims to ensure employees can report issues without fear of being forced into silence or losing their rights.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws to create stricter penalties for parents or guardians who fail to report a child under 14 as missing or deceased. It requires anyone caring for a child to notify law enforcement within two hours of discovering the child's death or within five days of finding the child missing, but only if the caregiver intends to mislead officials, stop an investigation, or causes an investigation to be delayed. The legislation increases the maximum prison sentence for these specific failures from two and a half years to ten years in state prison. Additionally, the bill raises the maximum penalties for other related offenses under existing child protection laws, increasing sentences from two and a half years to ten years and from five years to fifteen years.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to strengthen protections for individuals in their homes by establishing a "duty to retreat" for anyone who illegally enters a dwelling where others are present. Under the new rules, an intruder who fails to leave immediately after discovering occupants loses the right to sue or press criminal charges against the residents for any injuries that occur during the confrontation. The legislation also imposes harsher penalties for specific scenarios, such as a mandatory five-year prison sentence for entering a home with minors and a minimum twenty-year sentence for armed intruders who use force or threaten violence. These changes aim to deter home invasions and ensure that legal occupants can defend themselves without fear of retaliation from the intruder.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts laws regarding indecent assault and battery to explicitly include the use of bodily substances, such as blood, saliva, semen, urine, or feces, as part of the offense. It specifically extends these protections to children under the age of 14 and to individuals with intellectual disabilities, ensuring that assaults involving these substances are legally recognized under the relevant statutes. Additionally, the legislation broadens coverage to include assaults by bodily substances against persons aged 14 or older, as well as elders and other people with disabilities. By clarifying the definition of "bodily substance" and specifying the affected victim groups, the bill aims to ensure these acts are prosecuted under existing indecent assault and battery charges.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to ban the possession, sale, and use of child sex dolls in Massachusetts. It defines these items as anatomically correct dolls or robots that resemble minors and are intended for sexual acts. The law would impose fines of up to $10,000 and prison sentences of up to five years for a first offense, with harsher penalties of up to ten years for subsequent violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Massachusetts Board of Parole to provide specific information about registered sex offenders directly to victims who have enrolled in victim services. Under the new provision, victims would receive details including the offender's final classification, home address, secondary address, work address, and school location upon request. The change aims to give victims clearer access to data about where offenders live and work, allowing them to better assess safety risks. It applies specifically to the state's sex offender registry system and the victim services unit within the board.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Massachusetts law to increase penalties for individuals in correctional facilities who possess dangerous weapons. It defines a dangerous weapon broadly to include any object, whether store-bought or homemade, that is designed or intended for use as a weapon. The legislation mandates that anyone in custody at a jail, prison, or detention center found with such an item faces up to 10 years in state prison, up to 2.5 years in the house of correction, a fine of up to $5,000, or a combination of these punishments. The new penalties apply to violations committed after the law takes effect and are served in addition to any existing sentences the person is already serving.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits registered sex offenders in Massachusetts from legally changing their names or using any name other than the one they registered under. It directly affects individuals listed on the state sex offender registry by amending existing laws to forbid name changes through official channels and prevent them from adopting new surnames in marriage. The legislation also ensures that failing to use the registered name is treated as a violation of registration requirements. By restricting name changes, the bill aims to maintain the accuracy of public records and ensure that the community can easily identify registered offenders.