HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 799        FILED ON: 1/17/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1795

 

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 establishing a jail and prison construction moratorium.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Chynah Tyler

7th Suffolk

1/17/2023

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

2/14/2023

Steven Owens

29th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/14/2023

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Christine P. Barber

34th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Samantha Montaño

15th Suffolk

2/14/2023

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex

2/14/2023

Adrian C. Madaro

1st Suffolk

2/14/2023

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

2/14/2023

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Vanna Howard

17th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Patrick Joseph Kearney

4th Plymouth

2/14/2023

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

2/14/2023

Margaret R. Scarsdale

1st Middlesex

2/14/2023

Rob Consalvo

14th Suffolk

2/21/2023

Jay D. Livingstone

8th Suffolk

2/21/2023

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

2/21/2023

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

2/21/2023

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

4/4/2023

Tommy Vitolo

15th Norfolk

4/4/2023

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

4/4/2023

James C. Arena-DeRosa

8th Middlesex

4/4/2023

Brandy Fluker Oakley

12th Suffolk

4/4/2023

Danillo A. Sena

37th Middlesex

4/4/2023

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

4/4/2023

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

4/4/2023


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 799        FILED ON: 1/17/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1795

By Representative Tyler of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1795) of Chynah Tyler and others relative to establishing a jail and prison construction moratorium.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1905 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act establishing a jail and prison construction moratorium.

 

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to establish an immediate prison and jail moratorium, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public safety and health.
 

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 7C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 72 the following section:-

Section 73. (a) For the purposes of this section, the term “correctional facility” shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of chapter 125.

(b) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a state agency or public agency shall not:

(i) study, plan, design, acquire, lease, search for sites, or construct new correctional facilities or detention centers;

(ii) expand the capacity of an existing correctional facility or detention center beyond its current design or rated capacity;

(iii) convert any part of an existing or dormant correctional facility or detention center for the purpose of detention or incarceration, including to change or expand the populations incarcerated in that facility or center;

(iv) renovate an existing or dormant correctional facility or detention center beyond requirements for maintenance or to comply with building code requirements; or

(v) repair an existing or dormant correctional facility or detention center for the purposes of expanding the facility or center, or increasing its bed capacity.

SECTION 2. Section 73 of chapter 7C of the General Laws is hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. Section 2 shall take effect 5 years after the effective date of this act.