This bill eliminates fees for medical and mental health services for people in state prisons. It prohibits the Department of Correction from charging incarcerated individuals for medical care, prescriptions, medications, prosthetic devices, or durable medical equipment (like hearing aids or orthopedic braces) deemed medically necessary. The law also explicitly covers inmate-initiated medical visits and follow-up care for chronic conditions. The Department of Correction must implement these changes within one year of the bill's passage.
The bill HD 1750 ("An Act to reform parole") is currently in draft stage with no substantive text or details provided in the available context. As noted, it is "DRAFT BEING WORKED ON BY HOUSE COUNSEL" and no specific provisions, affected groups, or mechanisms are described. Without finalized text or a summary, no concrete policy changes can be identified. A full summary cannot be provided until the draft is complete and officially filed.
Report of the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security (pursuant Section 11 of Chapter 69 of the Acts of 2018) submitting its Justice Reinvestment Policy Oversight Board 2025 report
This bill ensures incarcerated youth under 22 in Massachusetts correctional facilities (including county houses of corrections and state facilities) have access to educational opportunities equivalent to those in public schools. It requires schools to credit coursework completed in custody toward graduation, mandates special education services for eligible students, and sets a minimum standard of 6 hours of classroom instruction daily, 12 months a year. The bill also guarantees access to vocational training, high school equivalency programs (like GED), and college-level courses while in custody. These provisions apply regardless of a youth’s disciplinary status or facility classification.
By Mr. Keenan, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1709) of John F. Keenan, James B. Eldridge and Patricia D. Jehlen for legislation to distribute Narcan to a detainee or prisoner at risk for an overdose upon discharge from a correctional facility. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
HD 3311 amends Massachusetts police certification rules to explicitly deny certification or re-certification to applicants who would otherwise be ineligible due to past offenses, even if those offenses were later pardoned by a president or governor. This directly affects individuals seeking to become or remain police officers who have received such pardons. The key provision inserts a specific clause into existing law, stating that pardons do not override the disqualification for certification. The bill makes no exceptions for pardoned offenses in the police certification process. It focuses solely on the eligibility criteria for law enforcement certification.
This bill establishes a permanent DJC task force to audit state and local agencies for demographic compliance and requires annual reports to the legislature. It mandates public disclosure of detailed demographic data on police hiring, traffic stops, officer discipline, and residential responses through agency websites (Section 17). The bill also requires law enforcement training to reflect community demographics and sets diversity hiring standards for agencies, with 50% of funding withheld if agencies fail to meet representation goals (Section 221). Additionally, it updates training requirements to prioritize non-lethal force and implicit bias education.
This bill updates Massachusetts' Victim and Witness Assistance Board to improve accessibility and clarify its duties. It requires the board to post rights summaries in courthouses and police stations in the top five non-English languages spoken in the state (per census data), and expands the board’s role to fund victim services, provide educational materials to agencies, manage the Garden of Peace memorial in Boston, and administer the SAFEPLAN program. The bill also updates gender-neutral language in the law and clarifies funding sources for victim services programs. These changes directly affect victims, witnesses, and service providers interacting with the state’s criminal justice system.
By Mr. Rush, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1759) of Michael F. Rush for legislation relative to the diverse recruitment and reform of the Massachusetts State Police. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1724) of Liz Miranda, William N. Brownsberger and Joanne M. Comerford for legislation to establish a correctional inspector general office. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
