SENATE DOCKET, NO. 35        FILED ON: 1/8/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1001

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Diana DiZoglio

_________________

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 civil commitment length of treatment for alcohol and substance use.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 35        FILED ON: 1/8/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1001

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 918 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act relative to civil commitment length of treatment for alcohol and substance use.

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

The fourth paragraph of Section 35 of Chapter 123 of the General Laws, as amended by Section 4 of Chapter 8 of the Acts of 2016, is hereby amended by striking out the first and second sentences and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- If, after a hearing which shall include expert testimony and may include other evidence, the court finds that such person is an individual with an alcohol or substance use disorder and there is a likelihood of serious harm as a result of the person’s alcohol or substance use disorder, the court may order such person to be committed for a period not to exceed 90 days to a facility designated by the Department of Public Health, followed by the availability of case management services provided by the Department of Public Health for up to 1 year.