HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 453        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1617

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Benjamin Swan

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to provide for recording of statements.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

1/13/2015

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

2/4/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 453        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1617

By Mr. Swan of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1617) of Benjamin Swan and Marcos A. Devers for legislation to require that certain interrogations be electronically recorded to be admissible in court.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1647 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act to provide for recording of statements.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 263 of General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 1A the following new section:-

Section 1B. All law enforcement interviews, inquires, questioning, and interrogations of persons conducted in a police station , courthouse, correctional facility, community correctional facility, or other government premises or structured settings shall be electronically recorded and a true, complete and accurate copy of such recordings maintained by the law enforcement department and made available to any person so recorded.  Any oral, written or sign language statement of a person obtained by law enforcement in such circumstances which is not electronically recorded shall not be admissible in any grand jury or criminal proceeding.