HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5145        FILED ON: 6/17/2020

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Frank A. Moran and David M. Rogers

_________________

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 relative to improper and discriminatory police reporting.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Frank A. Moran

17th Essex

6/17/2020

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

6/18/2020

Bud L. Williams

11th Hampden

6/17/2020

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

6/18/2020

Liz Miranda

5th Suffolk

6/18/2020

Jon Santiago

9th Suffolk

6/18/2020

Maria Duaime Robinson

6th Middlesex

6/18/2020

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

6/18/2020

Daniel J. Ryan

2nd Suffolk

6/18/2020

Tami L. Gouveia

14th Middlesex

6/18/2020

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

6/18/2020

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

6/18/2020

Christina A. Minicucci

14th Essex

6/18/2020

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

6/18/2020

Marcos A. Devers

16th Essex

6/19/2020

James T. Welch

Hampden

6/19/2020

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

6/19/2020

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

6/19/2020

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

6/19/2020

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

6/19/2020

Carlos González

10th Hampden

6/22/2020

Russell E. Holmes

6th Suffolk

6/22/2020

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

6/22/2020

Barry R. Finegold

Second Essex and Middlesex

6/22/2020

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

6/23/2020

Michelle L. Ciccolo

15th Middlesex

6/23/2020

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

6/23/2020

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

6/23/2020

Alan Silvia

7th Bristol

6/24/2020

Andres X. Vargas

3rd Essex

6/24/2020


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5145        FILED ON: 6/17/2020

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

By Messrs. Moran of Lawrence and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Frank A. Moran, David M. Rogers and others for legislation to provide for private rights of action against persons intentionally summonsing police officers without reason to suspected violations of criminal law.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to improper and discriminatory police reporting.

 

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 11I of Chapter 12 of the Massachusetts General Laws is hereby amended by adding a new subsection (b):

(b) A private right of action shall exist against any person who intentionally summons a police officer without reason to suspect a violation of a criminal law, any criminal conduct or an imminent threat to person or property by an individual or group of individuals, in whole or in part because of a belief or perception regarding the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, religion, religious practice, age, disability or sexual orientation of a person. An individual who summons a police officer under such circumstances shall be liable in a private civil action brought by the individual or group of individuals for injunctive relief, damages or other appropriate relief. If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court that the respondent has, in fact, violated this section, an injunction may be issued by such court, enjoining and restraining any further violation, without requiring proof that any person has, in fact, been injured or damaged thereby. For the purposes of this section, a person lacks reason to suspect a violation of a criminal law, any criminal conduct or an imminent threat to person or property if a reasonable person would not suspect such a violation, conduct or threat based on the totality of the circumstances.