Criminal Justice Reform Bills Filed for 2017-2018 Session

  1. FRONT END ELEMENTS

A.Body Cameras

i.SD1715, An Act promoting use of body-worn cameras by law enforcement (Eldridge)

B.Data on police interactions

i.SD1969, An Act relative to pedestrian stop data (Forry)

ii.Sd1937, An Act relative to data collection and fair treatment of drivers (Forry)

iii.SD828, An Act relative to traffic and pedestrian stop data (Chang-Diaz)

iv.SD651, An Act relative to the collection, accuracy and public availability of arrest data (Brownsberger)

C.Law enforcement training

i.SD727, An Act relative to training for law enforcement in dealing with individuals suffering from mental illness (Creem)

ii.SD1026, An Act to establish a center of excellence in community policing and behavioral health (Donnelly)

iii.SD415, An Act relative to training for law enforcement (Eldridge)

D.Criminal investigations

i.SD1175, An Act to protect electronic privacy (Spilka)

E.Bail reform

i.SD884, An Act reforming pretrial process (Donnelly)

ii.SD1988, An Act relative to review of bail for inability to pay (Creem)

F.Making Office of Community Corrections available to provide pretrial services

i.SD1575, An Act relative to the use of community corrections (Jehlen)

G.Diversion

i.SD1642, An Act relative to diversion programs (Boncore)

ii.SD1679, An Act relative to judicial relief for substance abuse through diversion(Boncore)

iii.SD236, An Act expanding eligibility for diversion to treatment for criminal offenders (Creem)

iv.SD238, an Act expanding juvenile court jurisdiction and district court diversion (Creem)

v.SD256, An Act expanding the use of community corrections and diversion (Creem)

vi.SD183, An Act to promote child well-being, community supervision and efficient use of state resources (Creem)

vii.SD 622, An Act An Act providing community-based sentencing alternatives for primary caretakers of dependent children who have been convicted of non-violent crimes (Brownsberger)

H.Restorative Justice

i.SD1797, An Act promoting restorative justice practices (Eldridge)

I.Decriminalizing or redefining crimes

i.Felony larceny (and other theft crimes) dollar threshold

  1. SD1618, An Act relative to larceny (Jehlen)
  2. SD1389, An Act to reduce the criminalization of poverty (Brownsberger)
  3. SD1128, An Act for justice reinvestment (Chang-Diaz)

ii.SD940, An Act negating archaic statutes targeting young women (Chandler)

iii.SD1599, An Act relative to civil infractions for juveniles (Boncore)

iv.SD1781, An Act decriminalizing non-violent and verbal student misconduct (Jehlen)

v.SD397, An Act to decriminalize being in the presence of heroin (Eldridge)

vi.SD54, An Act relative to the decriminalization of minor offenses (Moore)

J.Mandatory minimums

i.SD500, An Act to eliminate mandatory minimum sentences related to drug offenses (Creem)

ii.SD1128, An Act for justice reinvestment (Chang-Diaz)

  1. BACK END ELEMENTS

A.Solitary confinement

  1. SD797, An Act to promote humane conditions of confinement (Creem)
  2. SD806, An Act relative to segregation oversight (Creem)
  3. SD843, An Act to collect data regarding the use of solitary confinement in Massachusetts prisons and jails (Chang-Diaz)
  4. SD1652, An Act reducing recidivism, curbing unnecessary spending, and ensuring appropriate use of segregation (Eldridge)

B.Extraordinary Medical Placement

  1. SD1718, An Act relative to medical placement of terminal and incapacitated inmates (Jehlen)

C.Preventing prohibition on in-person visitation for prisoners

  1. SD1145, An Act protecting in-person visitation for inmates (Barrett)

D.Preventing sheriffs from transporting prisoners outside the state without written
approval of Secretaries of ANF and EOPSS

  1. SD1904, An Act protecting inmate safety and the expenditure of state funds (Barrett)

E.Anti-shackling of pregnant women

  1. SD1206, An Act to ensure compliance with the anti-shackling law for pregnant incarcerated women (Spilka)

F.Bridgewater State Hospital

  1. SD512, An Act to transfer Bridgewater State Hospital from the Department of Corrections to theDepartment of Mental Health (Creem)

G.SD413, Resolve establishing a special commission on prisoner and correction officer suicides (Eldridge)

H.CSG Recidivism Reduction Package

I.Ensuring that probationers (drug court or otherwise) have access to medical care, medically assisted treatment and medications prescribed

  1. SD619, An Act to protect the rights of probationers (Brownsberger)
  2. D156, An Act expanding protection under the Good Samaritan Law for drug-related overdoses (Keenan)

J.Parole reform

i.Presumptive Parole

  1. SD1672, An Act related to parole (Brownsberger)

ii.Parole Board Membership

  1. SD1672, An Act related to parole (Brownsberger)

iii.Counsel for juvenile lifers

  1. SD233, An Act ensuring prisoners convicted of committing first-degree murder as a juvenile a meaningful opportunity to be heard at parole hearings (Creem)
  1. COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES
  2. Loss of driver’s license for non-driving offenses
  3. SD1389, An Act to reduce the criminalization of poverty (Brownsberger)
  4. Criminal justice-related fees
  5. SD1389, An Act to reduce the criminalization of poverty (Brownsberger)
  6. SD1951, An Act restricting fine time sentences (Barrett)
  7. Expungement/sealing
  8. SD1389, An Act to reduce the criminalization of poverty (Brownsberger)
  9. SD1584, An Act permitting the court to expunge the record of persons struggling with substance abuse or charged with possession of certain Class D controlled substances (Boncore)
  10. SD1567, An Act relative to permitting the court to expunge the records of innocent persons, persons not connected to an alleged offense (Boncore)
  11. SD1927, An Act relative to expungement for repealed crimes (Jehlen)
  12. SD1214, An Act relative to sealing of juvenile records and expungement of court records (Spilka)
  13. SD477, An Act relative to the expungement of records of persons falsely accused and juveniles (Eldridge)
  14. SD1836, An Act relative to the expungement of convictions for marijuana possession (Lewis)
  15. SD183, An Act to promote child well-being, community supervision and efficient use of state resources (Creem)
  16. SD1243, An Act promoting transparency, best practices, and better outcomes for children and communities (Spilka)
  1. JUVENILE JUSTICE
  2. SD1243, An Act promoting transparency, best practices, and better outcomes for
    children and communities (omnibus reform, including raising the age) (Spilka)
  3. SD238, an Act expanding juvenile court jurisdiction and district court diversion
    (Creem)
  4. SD183, An Act to promote child well-being, community supervision and efficient
    use of state resources (Creem)
  5. SD185, An Act improving juvenile justice data collection (Creem)
  6. SD1599, An Act relative to civil infractions for juveniles (Boncore)
  7. SD842, An Act codifying juvenile court best practices (Chang-Diaz)
  8. SD1952, An Act providing for an investigation and study by a special interagency
    task force relative to gender-responsive programming for juvenile justice system-
    involved girls (Forry)