HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3754        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1903

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Chynah Tyler

_________________

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 the composition of the Victim and Witness Assistance Board.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Chynah Tyler

7th Suffolk

2/18/2021

Paul A. Schmid, III

8th Bristol

2/24/2021

David Paul Linsky

5th Middlesex

2/25/2021

Kate Lipper-Garabedian

32nd Middlesex

2/26/2021

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

2/26/2021

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

2/26/2021

Bud L. Williams

11th Hampden

2/26/2021

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

2/26/2021

Tram T. Nguyen

18th Essex

3/25/2021

Meghan Kilcoyne

12th Worcester

3/26/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3754        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1903

By Ms. Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1903) of Chynah Tyler and others relative to the composition of the Victim and Witness Assistance Board.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to the composition of the Victim and Witness Assistance Board.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 4 of chapter 258B, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the first paragraph and inserting the following paragraph:-

There is hereby established a victim and witness assistance board, to consist of seven members who shall serve without compensation. Notwithstanding any provision of section six of chapter two hundred and sixty-eight A to the contrary, the board shall consist of the attorney general or their designee who shall be chair, two district attorneys who shall be appointed by the governor, and four members of the public, of whom three shall be victims including at least one representing an underserved community. Members of the public shall be appointed by the governor, and victim members shall be appointed from a list of eligible nominations provided by the executive director. Members of the board shall be selected from diverse ethnic, racial, religious, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic, and geographical backgrounds from throughout the commonwealth. All members shall serve for a term of three years and until their successor is duly appointed and qualified, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term. Any member of the board shall be eligible for reappointment.

For the purposes of this section, “underserved community” shall include, but not limited to, a community disproportionately impacted by high rates of violence and crime and populations underserved due to racial and ethnic identity.

For the purposes of this section, “members of the public” shall not include any current local, state, or federal elected official.

Said Section 4 of chapter 258B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking the word “four” in the second paragraph and inserting the following word:- six