HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3384        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3115

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Frank A. Moran

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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 allowing for pretrial offenders to be eligible for services at offices of community corrections.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3384        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3115

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act allowing for pretrial offenders to be eligible for services at offices of community corrections.

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

SECTION 27A. Section 1 of chapter 211F of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding the following 2 definitions:- ''Pretrial services plan'', a written proposal submitted to the executive director of the office of community corrections for approval and funding as a pretrial services program.

“Pretrial services program”, any program that is operated by a state, local or private service agency, that the office of community corrections has deemed appropriate for an individual awaiting trial. 

SECTION 27B. Section 2 of said chapter 211F, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “of”, in line 3, the following words:- pretrial services programs and.

SECTION 27C. Said section 2 of said chapter 211F, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “developing”, in line 5, the following words:- pretrial services programs and.

SECTION 27D. Said section 2 of said chapter 211F, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “corrections”, in line 9, the following words:- “and pretrial services.”.

SECTION 27E. Said chapter 211F is hereby amended by inserting after section 3 the following section:- Section 3A. (a) Participation in a pretrial services program may be ordered by the court, in lieu of bail, or as a condition of release consistent with sections 57, 58 and 58A of chapter 276. The court may dictate the duration and conditions of the pretrial services program.

(b) The probation department may utilize pretrial services programs for pretrial

supervision consistent with sections 87 and 87A of said chapter 276.

SECTION 27F. Section 4 of said chapter 211F, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “plans” , in line 3, the following:- “and pretrial services plans.

SECTION 27G. Section 5 of said chapter 211F, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “commitments”, in line 10, the following words:- , reducing pretrial  detention, and increasing the court appearance rate.