HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 445        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1499

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David Paul Linsky

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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 adequately compensate career prosecutors.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 445        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1499

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 891 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act to adequately compensate career prosecutors.

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 12 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 16 and inserting in place thereof the following section:—

Section 16. (A) Each district attorney shall, subject to appropriation and subject to the conditions of this section, appoint and may, at his pleasure, remove such assistant district attorneys as are necessary to the functioning of the office of the district attorney. Assistant district attorneys shall receive from the commonwealth salaries as recommended by the district attorney appointing them, subject to appropriation and subject to the conditions of this section but in no case shall the annual salary of an assistant district attorney be less than forty thousand dollars, nor shall the salary of an assistant district attorney with three years’ experience as an assistant district attorney be less than forty-five thousand dollars, nor shall the salary of an assistant district attorney with five years’ experience as an assistant district attorney be less than fifty-five thousand dollars, nor shall the salary of an assistant district attorney with seven years’ experience as an assistant district attorney be less than sixty thousand dollars, nor shall the salary to an assistant district attorney with ten years’ experience as an assistant district attorney be less than sixty-five thousand dollars. The provisions of sections nine A and forty-five of chapter thirty, chapter thirty-one, and chapter one hundred and fifty E shall not apply to said assistant district attorneys. Assistant district attorneys shall devote their full time during ordinary business hours to their duties, and shall neither directly nor indirectly engage in the practice of law.

(B) Each district attorney shall, subject to appropriation and subject to the conditions of this section, appoint and may, at his pleasure, remove such victim-witness advocates and child interview specialists as are necessary to the functioning of the office of the district attorney. Victim-witness advocates and child interview specialists shall receive from the commonwealth salaries as recommended by the district attorney appointing them, subject to appropriation and subject to the conditions of this section but in no case shall the annual salary of a victim-witness advocate or child interview specialist be less than thirty-two thousand dollars, nor shall the salary of a victim-witness advocate or child interview specialist with three years’ experience in either or both such position be less than thirty-eight thousand dollars.

SECTION 2. Sections 18, 19, 20, 28, and 20C of said chapter 12 are hereby repealed.