SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1178 FILED ON: 1/17/2019
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1374
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
William N. Brownsberger
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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 relative to access to community corrections.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: |
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William N. Brownsberger | Second Suffolk and Middlesex |
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Mary S. Keefe | 15th Worcester | 1/29/2019 |
Jason M. Lewis | Fifth Middlesex | 1/29/2019 |
Joseph A. Boncore | First Suffolk and Middlesex | 1/29/2019 |
Jay D. Livingstone | 8th Suffolk | 1/31/2019 |
Marcos A. Devers | 16th Essex | 1/31/2019 |
Kay Khan | 11th Middlesex | 1/31/2019 |
Adam G. Hinds | Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden | 1/31/2019 |
Cynthia Stone Creem | First Middlesex and Norfolk | 1/31/2019 |
Daniel J. Hunt | 13th Suffolk | 1/31/2019 |
Mike Connolly | 26th Middlesex | 1/31/2019 |
Patricia D. Jehlen | Second Middlesex | 1/31/2019 |
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf | 17th Worcester | 2/1/2019 |
Sean Garballey | 23rd Middlesex | 2/1/2019 |
Michael D. Brady | Second Plymouth and Bristol | 2/1/2019 |
Jack Patrick Lewis | 7th Middlesex | 2/1/2019 |
Harriette L. Chandler | First Worcester | 2/1/2019 |
Julian Cyr | Cape and Islands | 2/4/2019 |
Joanne M. Comerford | Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester | 2/19/2019 |
Paul R. Feeney | Bristol and Norfolk | 2/25/2019 |
Cindy F. Friedman | Fourth Middlesex | 2/25/2019 |
James T. Welch | Hampden | 3/14/2019 |
Sal N. DiDomenico | Middlesex and Suffolk | 3/14/2019 |
Michael J. Barrett | Third Middlesex | 4/24/2019 |
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1178 FILED ON: 1/17/2019
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1374
By Mr. Brownsberger, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1374) of William N. Brownsberger, Mary S. Keefe, Jason M. Lewis, Joseph A. Boncore and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to access to community corrections. Public Safety and Homeland Security. |
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 relative to access to 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 1. Section 1 of chapter 211F of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following definition:-
“Re-entry services program”, any program that is operated by a state, local or private service agency, provided, however, that re-entry service programs shall be a separate track of programming from community correction programs offered under section 3 of this chapter; provided further, that sanctions under said section 3 shall not be applicable to the re-entry service program track.
SECTION 2. Section 2 of said chapter 211F, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “of”, in line 3, the following words:- re-entry and.
SECTION 3. 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:- re-entry and.
SECTION 4. 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 re-entry.
SECTION 5. Section 3 of Chapter 211F of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the final paragraph and inserting in place thereof:-
(e) An offender’s eligibility for sentencing to a community corrections program cannot be based solely on a charge or conviction for a specific offense.
SECTION 6. Chapter 211F of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after Section 3B the following section:-
Section 3C. Utilization of re-entry programs offered through community corrections progam for persons released from any correctional institution of the commonwealth.
(a) The re-entry programs offered by community corrections may be utilized by any person released from any correctional institution for the commonwealth provided (i) there is available space; and (ii) their application is approved by the Office of Community Corrections.
(b) The parole status of any released person shall not affect eligibility for re-entry services.
(c) The Department of Probation may consider allowing third parties to provide re-entry services through evidence based, effective, and innovative programs.
(d) The Department of Probation may work to house the re-entry services in different locations from the sanctions and corrections programs it administers at Community Corrections Centers.
SECTION 7. Notwithstanding any general or special law or rule or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Correction and Houses of Corrections and Jails shall furnish government identification to each leaving prisoner, along with information about re-entry services available through Community Corrections Centers and any other re-entry program of note.