HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2078        FILED ON: 2/16/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3198

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Marc T. Lombardo

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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 resolve:

Resolve establishing a special commission to identify a suitable location for a justice complex in Southern Middlesex County.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2078        FILED ON: 2/16/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3198

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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Resolve establishing a special commission to identify a suitable location for a justice complex in Southern Middlesex County.

Resolved, That a special commission is hereby established to make an investigation and study relative to identify and evaluate potential sites suitable for the location of a replacement justice complex that includes a jail facility in Southern Middlesex County, consistent with chapter 304 of the acts of 2008. The commission shall evaluate whether such sites are appropriate to adjoin facilities to house related criminal justice functions, including courts, pre-arraignment lock-up facilities, a female lock-up facility as described in the following paragraph and special population facilities. The commission shall analyze the current inmate and detainee populations in the county and make recommendations on the appropriate scale of any new facility based upon that analysis and make recommendations on whether the future inmate and pretrial detainee population within the county may be reduced. In making its recommendations, the commission shall analyze the NIC Technical Assessment of the Middlesex County pretrial population performed in 2014.

The special commission shall also identify and evaluate potential sites in Southern Middlesex County suitable for the placement of a correctional facility to house female pretrial detainees and female offenders sentenced to incarceration in the house of correction for 2½ years or less. The commission shall document the needs of the communities in the vicinity of such sites and of the individuals in those communities, and make recommendations relative to the most efficient and effective investment of public resources to meet all of those needs.

The commission shall include the following officers or their designees: the secretary of public safety and security, who shall chair the commission; the secretary of administration and finance; the Middlesex sheriff; the administrative office of the trial court; the Middlesex superior court clerk; the commissioner of capital asset management and maintenance; the Middlesex district attorney; chief counsel of the committee for public counsel services; 1 member of the senate appointed by the president; and 1 member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker. Members not otherwise subject to chapter 268A of the General Laws by virtue of their public positions shall not be considered to be special state employees for purposes of said chapter 268A on account of their service on the commission.

The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate not later than August 1, 2021.