SENATE DOCKET, NO. 818        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 951

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James T. Welch

_________________

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 establishing the murder victim families assistance fund.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

James T. Welch

Hampden

Jose F. Tosado

9th Hampden

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 818        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 951

By Mr. Welch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 951) of James T. Welch, Jose F. Tosado, Brian M. Ashe and Benjamin Swan for legislation to establish a fund to assist families of murder victims.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 836 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act establishing the murder victim families assistance fund.

 

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

2JJJJ.  There shall be established and set up on the books of the Commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Murder Victims Families Assistance Fund.  The purpose of the fund shall be to provide fiscal aid to immediate families of murder victims.  Immediate family shall include spouse, child, siblings, parent, stepparent or legal guardian unless such family member has been charged in the crime.  There shall be credited to such fund revenues voluntarily contributed thereto from a publisher, author, movie or television studio or company that creates a book, movie or television show based on a murder or murders committed in the Commonwealth.  The Massachusetts Film Office shall notify such persons of the existence of the fund.  The victim and witness assistance board shall be the custodian of the fund and shall receive, deposit and invest all monies transmitted to it under this section and shall credit interest and earnings on the fund to the fund.  The various district attorneys shall request distribute monies from the fund to the immediate families of murder victims.