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.