SENATE DOCKET, NO. 321        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 850

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 to protect the privacy of children in eviction proceedings.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 321        FILED ON: 1/11/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 850

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 781 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 protect the privacy of children in eviction proceedings.

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 2 of chapter 239 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after line 19, the following new paragraph :-

The defendant named in a summary process summons and complaint shall not include any household member who is (i) a minor or (ii) an adult who has not signed a tenancy agreement and who is not responsible for the payment of rent. Such household members' names shall be expunged from any court record and electronic docket entry. Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the right of an occupant to seek to intervene in a summary process action or the right of the original parties to the action to move to join additional parties for good cause shown.