SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1240        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 981

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James E. Timilty

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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 to ensure courthouse security.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1240        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 981

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act to ensure courthouse security.

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 70A of chapter 221 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following sentence:-

“Pursuant to said police powers, court officers may carry within the premises of the court or in the immediate vicinity thereof such weapons as the chief justice of the trial court, the chief justice of the supreme judicial court or the chief justice of the appeals court shall determine necessary.  Provided, however, that, prior to being permitted to carry a firearm within a courthouse, a court officer shall have a license to carry pursuant to section 131 of chapter 140 or section 131F of chapter 140.”

SECTION 2.  Section 70A of chapter 221 of the General Laws is hereby further amended by striking, in lines 3-4, the words “the areas of the court to which they have been assigned;” and inserting in place thereof the following words:

“the premises of the court or in the immediate vicinity thereof”