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. 1256) of Michael F. Rush and Jason M. Lewis for legislation to establish the Massachusetts Survivors Act. The Judiciary.
By Mr. Moore, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1213) of Michael O. Moore, James B. Eldridge and James K. Hawkins for legislation to establish a bill of rights for survivors of sexual assault and related purposes. The Judiciary.
By Representative Decker of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1655) of Marjorie C. Decker relative to victim trust funds. The Judiciary.
HD 1226, known as "Kianna's Law," standardizes domestic violence protection orders in Massachusetts to last exactly one year, replacing vague language about "up to one year." It requires law enforcement to notify victims (and their families when appropriate) when protection orders are served, not served, or expire. The bill also mandates that police enter order details into a public safety system to ensure timely service and adds victim notification rights for order status changes. Additionally, it directs a statewide survey of victim services to identify improvements needed in law enforcement and court support systems. The law directly affects domestic violence victims, defendants, law enforcement, and courts handling abuse prevention cases.
SD 1048 establishes a specialized domestic violence and sexual assault probation unit within Massachusetts court probation departments. The unit requires each court to employ a victim advocate (from an external nonprofit) to support victims who filed complaints under Chapter 209A, handle their complaints against probation officers, and provide information about their rights and case details. It also mandates that probation officers assigned exclusively to these cases complete specialized training on domestic violence and sexual assault, and requires offenders to maintain certified batterer’s treatment programs as a condition of probation. The bill directly affects victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, probation officers handling such cases, and offenders subject to Chapter 209A orders.
This bill (HD 454) clarifies how restitution must be used for property damage caused by hate crimes. It specifies that when a court orders restitution for damage to real or personal property motivated by race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, the funds must directly repair the damaged property. The bill affects victims of hate crimes involving property damage, ensuring restitution serves the specific purpose of repairing the harm. It does not expand the definition of hate crime but modifies the restitution requirement under existing law.
By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1220) of Patrick M. O'Connor and Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida for legislation to protect victims of crimes and the public. The Judiciary.
This bill creates a new automated notification system to improve communication between crime victims and local law enforcement in Massachusetts. It requires District Attorney's Offices to establish a public safety system that sends text or email updates about case milestones (like arrests, court dates, or case closures) directly to victims without requiring them to register, download apps, or create accounts. The system must support multiple languages and integrate with existing platforms like the Department of Corrections' VINE-Link. Local agencies must provide case data to the system, and the program will be evaluated through annual reports to the legislature on its effectiveness and potential for statewide adoption.
This Massachusetts bill (HD 1346) requires businesses or entities paying a defendant in a criminal case to report the agreement to the Attorney General's Victim Compensation Division within 30 days and post a bond equal to the payment amount. It defines "proceeds of crime" as money or assets gained through a defendant's criminal activity, and mandates that payments must be "substantially related" to the crime (e.g., leveraging notoriety from the crime) to trigger the reporting and bonding requirements. The division notifies victims, holds the bond to potentially cover victim compensation, and allows victims to sue for damages within three years. It directly affects businesses, media, or individuals contracting with defendants, ensuring potential criminal proceeds benefit victims rather than the defendant.
