HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 821        FILED ON: 1/28/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1592

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Colleen M. Garry

_________________

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 further protect children.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/25/2021

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/26/2021

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

2/26/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 821        FILED ON: 1/28/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1592

By Miss Garry of Dracut, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1592) of Colleen M. Garry, Michael O. Moore and David Allen Robertson relative to the reporting of missing children.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1421 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act to further protect children.

 

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 269 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following new section:

Section 20: A parent, legal guardian or caretaker who willfully fails to contact law enforcement or emergency personnel concerning the safety of a minor child, 16 years of age or younger, in his or her care whose whereabouts has not been ascertained within the past 48 hours shall be punished by imprisonment in state prison for not more than five years.

A parent, legal guardian or caretaker of a minor child, 16 years of age or younger, who has knowledge of the death of said child, and who fails to notify law enforcement or emergency personnel of said death within one hour of their knowledge of the occurrence, shall be punishable by imprisonment in state prison for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars and imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than two and one half years.