HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3090        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3856

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Meghan K. Kilcoyne

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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 coercive control occurring between family or household members.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3090        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3856

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to coercive control occurring between family or household members.

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. The definition of “Abuse” in section 1 of chapter 209A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following clause:- (d) coercive control.

SECTION 2. Said section 1 of said chapter 209A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the definition of “Abuse” the following definition:-

“Coercive control”, includes, but is not limited to, unreasonably engaging in any of the following:

(a) isolating the family or household member from friends, relatives or other sources of support;

(b) depriving the family or household member of basic necessities;

(c) controlling, regulating or monitoring the family or household member's movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources or access to services;

(d) compelling the family or household member by force, threat or intimidation, including, but not limited to, threats based on actual or suspected immigration status, to (i) engage in conduct from which such family or household member has a right to abstain, or (ii) abstain from conduct that such family or household member has a right to pursue;

(e) committing or threatening to commit cruelty to animals that intimidates the family or household member;

(f) forced sex acts, or threats of a sexual nature, including, but not limited to, threatened acts of sexual conduct, threats based on a person's sexuality or threats to release sexual images regarding the family or household member.