Criminal Justice (Corrections)

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 26, 2026

H 2018: An Act relative to prison reform

By Representative Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2018) of Chynah Tyler for legislation to establish a review of the impact and effectiveness of facility programming by the Department of Correction including a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the effects of health care in department facilities and a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the effects of confinement in the departmental disciplinary unit on the mental health and wellness of prisoners. The Judiciary.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes commissions to review prison programming effectiveness and health care impacts, directly advancing criminal justice reform through systematic evaluation and potential improvements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1688: An Act establishing the executive office of structural racism

HD 1688 establishes Massachusetts' Executive Office of Structural Racism, creating a new state office under a governor-appointed secretary. The office must identify laws and policies perpetuating racial inequality in housing, health, employment, and criminal justice; review new policies for discriminatory impacts; and publish findings on disparities like incarceration rates affecting communities of color. It has authority to analyze state agency records without requiring prior approval for its investigations or reports. The bill directly affects state agencies and communities of color by mandating systematic analysis of structural racism across state policies. The office’s work aims to inform state strategies for advancing racial equity.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates office to identify racial disparities in criminal justice (including incarceration rates) and review policies for discriminatory impacts, directly advancing reform efforts.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingIdentifies housing policies perpetuating racial inequality, aiming to prevent discrimination in housing access and development.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Feb 27, 2025

SD 1686: An Act relative to judicial oversight

By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1086) of James B. Eldridge for legislation relative to judicial oversight of prisons housing. The Judiciary.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes judicial oversight of prisons, implying enhanced accountability in corrections, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators like oversight strengthening.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1608: An Act relative to health insurance and incarcerated individuals

HD 1608 requires health insurance carriers to cover all medically necessary care for incarcerated individuals who have health insurance through themselves or their family. If the individual or family cannot pay co-pays or deductibles, the insurance company can seek reimbursement from the Department of Corrections instead. The bill also mandates that insurers waive extra fees for using non-preferred medical providers while the person is incarcerated. This directly affects incarcerated people with health insurance, their insurers, and the Department of Corrections.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates health insurance coverage for incarcerated individuals' medically necessary care, including waiving fees for non-preferred providers. This improves correctional health care access, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to enhan...90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers cover medically necessary care for incarcerated individuals with insurance, waiving co-pays and extra fees, expanding healthcare access for this population.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Insurance

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1682: An Act for second look

This bill (HD 1682, "An Act for second look") allows incarcerated individuals who were under 25 at the time of their offense to petition for sentence reductions after serving 10 years (15 years if the offense involved loss of life), or those aged 26+ after 12 years (18 years for loss of life). The Department of Corrections must notify eligible individuals at 9 and 14 years of incarceration, and petitions require specific documentation proving eligibility, including medical conditions like dementia or HIV that may expedite hearings. Courts must deny petitions with clear reasoning, restrict re-filing to 2-5 years after denial, and appoint counsel if requested. It directly affects incarcerated people meeting age and time criteria, with no waiver of eligibility allowed.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill enables sentence reductions for eligible incarcerated individuals, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through second look reforms, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2468: An Act relative to postsecondary education in correctional facilities

This bill requires Massachusetts state agencies to conduct a comprehensive assessment of postsecondary education programs in correctional facilities. It mandates evaluating current program access (including Pell Grant use), unmet demand among incarcerated people, facility infrastructure needs, and policy barriers like classification rules or transfer practices. The assessment will gather input from incarcerated students, higher education providers, and relevant state agencies to identify improvements needed for expanding high-quality, workforce-aligned education. The findings must be reported to the legislature by January 1, 2026, to guide future program expansion and coordination.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates assessment to improve postsecondary education access in correctional facilities, directly supporting rehabilitation and criminal justice reform through enhanced program access and policy barriers removal.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates assessment to improve postsecondary access in correctional facilities, expanding educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Student Financial Aid Testing & Assessment

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 2482: An Act relative to safety and justice

This bill (HD 2482) creates a compensation system for individuals wrongfully convicted of felonies in Massachusetts. It directly affects people who were convicted based on errors but later exonerated, establishing new standards for financial awards and record expungement. Key provisions include lowering the proof standard from "clear and convincing" to "preponderance of the evidence" for claims, setting specific monetary limits based on incarceration length (e.g., up to $1 million for 10 years), and requiring courts to order record expungement after compensation. The bill also adds penalties for tampering with GPS devices used in pretrial release and modifies procedures for social service referrals to support exonerees.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes compensation for wrongfully convicted individuals, lowers proof standard for claims, and mandates record expungement - directly advancing criminal justice reform by addressing systemic errors and protecting civil rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3483: An Act to safeguard judicial integrity through enhanced witness protection

This bill defines witness intimidation as using threats, force, bribes, or coercion to influence testimony, reporting, or participation in official government proceedings like court hearings or law enforcement investigations. It makes such intimidation a crime with penalties of up to 10 years in prison for physical force or up to 2½ years and a $5,000 fine for threats, bribes, or extortion. The law explicitly protects constitutionally protected speech, such as criticism of officials or public policy, and requires law enforcement to receive training to apply the law correctly without infringing on free expression. It directly affects individuals who attempt to intimidate witnesses, witnesses themselves, and law enforcement officers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill criminalizes witness intimidation in court proceedings, protecting testimony integrity and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of safeguarding fair trials and judicial processes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Law Enforcement

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3087: An Act to improve transparency and accountability in correctional facilities

HD 3087 requires correctional facilities in Massachusetts to guarantee incarcerated people the right to communicate confidentially with news media representatives through in-person visits, video calls, and unmonitored phone calls, without restrictions based on housing or disciplinary status. The bill also mandates facilities to collect and publish detailed quarterly data on all use-of-force incidents - including racial breakdowns, injury details, and specific tools used - and to provide affected individuals with records of force incidents within 10 business days. These provisions directly affect incarcerated people (by expanding their communication rights), correctional facilities (by requiring new reporting systems), and news media representatives (by establishing protected access). The law also prohibits retaliation against incarcerated people for media contact and requires facilities to update policies to comply.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates transparency in use-of-force data and confidential media access for incarcerated people, enhancing accountability and civil rights in corrections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1676: An Act to remove medical and health service fees for incarcerated people

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill eliminates medical fees for incarcerated people, ensuring access to necessary care without financial barriers. This directly supports criminal justice reform by improving correctional conditions and protecting inmates' health rights.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEliminates fees for medical, mental health, and chronic care for incarcerated individuals, expanding access to essential health services without cost barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections

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