Criminal Justice

This bill appropriates state funds for fiscal year 2027 to support various departments, boards, and institutions across the Commonwealth, including specific allocations for healthcare, education, and public safety. It establishes new reporting requirements for certain programs, such as mandating that the Department of Children and Families submit data on enforcement actions and the number of individuals subjected to solitary confinement. The legislation also amends existing laws to increase penalties for specific child sexual offenses and adjusts lottery rules to allow for new game contracts while ensuring prize payouts remain at least 45 percent of revenue. Additionally, the bill modifies the minimum age for certain criminal charges and increases the number of years required for specific legal provisions.

Senate, July 24, 2025 -- Text of the Senate Bill facilitating better interactions between police officers and persons with autism spectrum disorder (Senate, No. 2565) (being the text of Senate No. 2558, printed as amended)

This bill creates standardized blue envelopes to improve police interactions with people who have autism. The envelopes, designed by the state police with input from autism advocates, will include written communication tips for officers and instructions for attaching them to car sun visors. They will also hold a person's driver's license, registration, and insurance cards. The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles will provide these envelopes upon request to autistic individuals, their parents, or guardians, starting July 1, 2026.