H 4989 Massachusetts House · 193rd Legislature (2023-2024)

An Act relative to safety and justice

This bill strengthens safety and justice measures by expanding access to social services for indigent defendants and improving compensation for those convicted of crimes in error. It requires the state to connect eligible clients with vendors for post-release support and lowers the legal standard of proof for wrongful conviction claims from "clear and convincing" to "a preponderance of the evidence." The legislation also establishes specific monetary caps for damages awarded to claimants, authorizes courts to order expungement of criminal records for erroneous convictions, and introduces stricter penalties for tampering with GPS monitoring devices used during probation or parole. Additionally, it updates the criteria for pretrial detention to include certain repeat offenses and violations of specific protective orders.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Aug 2024
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Aug 8, 2024 Last action Aug 8, 2024
Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
3
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Aug 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
lower
Aug 8, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported from the committee on The Judiciary
lower
0 primary · 6 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.