This bill (HD 370) requires courts to order defendants convicted of vehicular homicide while intoxicated - resulting in a parent's death - to pay monthly restitution to the victim's surviving children. The payments cover support until the child turns 18 or graduates high school (whichever is later), with an extension to age 22 for those pursuing higher education. Courts determine the payment amount based on the child's needs, the defendant's financial ability, and other factors like the child's living situation and educational requirements. The restitution must be paid to the surviving parent or guardian, and defendants unable to pay while incarcerated must begin payments within one year of release.
HD 2694 expands funding sources for victim services by adding gifts, grants, and donations to the definition of eligible revenues under two existing law sections. It amends Sections 66 and 66A of Chapter 10 to explicitly include all revenues received from public and private sources as gifts, grants, or donations. This change allows victim service programs to utilize a broader range of funding streams without requiring new legislative appropriations. The bill directly affects state-funded victim service organizations that rely on these revenue sources for program operations.
This bill (SD 1649) updates Massachusetts victim compensation rules by increasing the maximum funeral and burial expense reimbursement to $15,000 and expanding eligibility to include legal guardians, dependents, and other family members of crime victims. It also extends the deadline for filing claims from the previous timeframe to five years after the crime occurs. These changes directly affect families of crime victims seeking financial assistance for funeral costs in Massachusetts. The bill modifies specific sections of Chapter 258C of the General Laws to implement these concrete policy updates.
HD 3318 modernizes the Victim and Witness Assistance Board in Massachusetts. It requires the board to post rights summaries in courthouses and police stations in the top five non-English languages spoken in the Commonwealth (per census data), plus provide translations upon request. The bill expands the board’s duties to include creating internal bylaws, funding statewide victim services, providing education to law enforcement and medical providers, managing the Garden of Peace memorial in Boston, and administering the SAFEPLAN advocacy program. This directly affects crime victims, their families, and service providers across Massachusetts.
This bill establishes a new compensation program for victims of human trafficking and forced labor in Massachusetts. Victims can receive up to $25,000 in lost income compensation (capped at $12,500 annually for two years) from the Victims of Crime Compensation Division, based on the state minimum wage for up to 40 hours weekly. It removes common barriers by not requiring official employment documentation (accepting alternative evidence like sworn statements) and explicitly prevents criminal charges related to trafficking from disqualifying victims. The compensation also won't count as income for other state or federal benefit programs, and the division must adopt guidelines within 190 days to streamline applications.
HD 916 (An Act relative to medical parole) modifies Massachusetts' medical parole process. It limits incarcerated individuals with serious health conditions to one medical parole petition per year, unless their health condition changes significantly. If a petition is based on a significant health change, officials may deny reconsideration if they determine the change isn't substantial enough. This bill directly affects incarcerated people seeking medical parole and clarifies the timing for victim notification when petitions are denied.
This bill (SD 75) requires the forfeiture of assets used to facilitate sexual offenses or related crimes, directly affecting convicted offenders and benefiting victims. It makes individuals convicted under specific Massachusetts sexual offense laws (chapters 265 sections 22-24C, 50, or 51) ineligible for remaining lottery prize money, with unclaimed portions returned to the state lottery fund. It also mandates forfeiture of all money used to pay for forced labor, sexual servitude, or to facilitate those crimes, with court-ordered restitution paid to victims from these seized funds. The law updates forfeiture procedures to specifically include lottery prizes and other state funds used in such offenses.
This bill (HD 554) creates new criminal penalties for intentionally making false emergency calls to police, fire, or medical services in Massachusetts. It directly affects individuals who report fake emergencies or make "silent calls" (calls without providing location or emergency details), with stricter penalties for repeat offenses or bias-motivated reports (e.g., based on race, religion, or sexual orientation). Penalties range from up to 6 months in jail or a $200 fine for first offenses, to up to 5 years in prison for false reports causing serious harm or death. The bill also requires courts to order restitution to emergency services for costs incurred and mandates diversity training for bias-motivated offenders.
SD 1050 establishes a special commission to study Massachusetts' response to domestic violence and sexual assault victims, including analyzing current resources and probation systems. It creates specialized domestic violence probation units in courts, requiring each unit to include a dedicated victim advocate from a non-profit organization to serve as a liaison between survivors and probation officers. The bill mandates specialized training for probation officers handling these cases, requires them to monitor batterer's treatment program compliance, and updates procedures for reviewing protection orders to consider substance use recovery. These changes directly affect survivors of domestic violence, probation officers, and court staff handling these cases. The commission must report findings and recommendations by December 2026.
This bill eliminates fines, fees, and restitution requirements for juveniles (under the age of criminal majority) and their parents/guardians related to court proceedings. Key provisions include: banning all fines/fees for offenses committed while under criminal majority (Section 5), requiring courts to assess a youth’s ability to pay before ordering restitution (Section 7), prohibiting jail time for nonpayment of juvenile-related fines (Section 9), and removing specific fees like the $45 assessment for minors (Sections 13-16). It directly affects minors and their families in juvenile court cases involving property damage, delinquency, or restitution. The law ensures financial penalties cannot be imposed based on a youth’s inability to pay, with strict limits on restitution amounts and terms.
