HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2847        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3882

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Chynah Tyler

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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 relative to prison reform.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2847        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3882

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to prison reform.

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. Study and review of the impact and effectiveness of DOC facility programming.

SECTION 2. Section 48 of chapter 127 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-

The commissioner shall ensure that all county correctional facilities, state correctional facilities and state prisons maintain a partnership with a public institution of higher education, as identified in section 5 of chapter 15A, for the purposes of developing educational programming for prisoners and to allow prisoners with a high school diploma or its equivalent to obtain course credit toward an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree from the public institution of higher education.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 127 is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 170. The department shall, in consultation with the department of public health, develop nutrition standards to ensure the provision of healthy food options to prisoners in department facilities.

SECTION 4.  (a) There shall be a commission to review and make recommendations on the effects of health care in department of corrections facilities, including county correctional facilities, state correctional facilities and state prisons.

(b) The commission shall consist of the following 15 members: the chairs of the joint committee on public health or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of the executive office of public safety or their designee; the commissioner of correction or their designee; the commissioner of public health or their designee; 2 members to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 2 members to be appointed by the senate president; 2 members to be appointed by the chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus; 2 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a formerly incarcerated person; the executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts or their designee; and the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference or a designee.

(c) The commission shall report and file its findings and recommendations, including any legislation, with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the joint committee on public safety and security not later than January 1, 2022.

SECTION 5.  (a) There shall be a commission to study and make recommendations relative to the effects of confinement in the departmental disciplinary unit, also known as the DDU, on the mental health and wellness of prisoners.

(b) The commission shall consist of the following 15 members: the chairs of the joint committee on mental health, substance abuse and recovery or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; the secretary of the executive office of public safety or their designee; the commissioner of correction or their designee; the commissioner of public health or their designee; 2 members to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 2 members to be appointed by the senate president; 2 members to be appointed by the chair of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus; 2 members to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a formerly incarcerated person; the executive director of Prisoners’ Legal Services of Massachusetts or their designee; and the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference or a designee.

(c)  The commission shall report and file its findings and recommendations, including any legislation, with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the joint committee on public safety and security not later than January 1, 2022.