SENATE DOCKET, NO. 233        FILED ON: 1/13/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 814

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Cynthia Stone Creem

_________________

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 ensuring prisoners convicted of committing first-degree murder as a juvenile a meaningful opportunity to be heard at parole hearings.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Cynthia Stone Creem

First Middlesex and Norfolk


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 233        FILED ON: 1/13/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 814

By Ms. Creem, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 814) of Cynthia S. Creem for legislation relative to counsel at parole hearings for juvenile life sentences.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 766 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act ensuring prisoners convicted of committing first-degree murder as a juvenile a meaningful opportunity to be heard at parole hearings.

 

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. Section 133A of chapter 127 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

If the prisoner is serving a life sentence for murder in the first degree committed before the prisoner's eighteenth birthday, the prisoner shall have the right to have appointed counsel at the parole hearing if deemed to be indigent and the right to funds for experts as determined by the standards under chapter 211D.