SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1838        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1531

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Adam Gomez

_________________

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 creating a database to track banned books in correctional facilities.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Adam Gomez

Hampden


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1838        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1531

By Mr. Gomez, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1531) of Adam Gomez for legislation to create a database to track banned books in correctional facilities.  Public Safety and Homeland Security.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act creating a database to track banned books in correctional facilities.

 

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. Section 2 of Chapter 127 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

A database shall be created to record and track all banned books, publications, and reading materials by the Department of Corrections. The superintendents of correctional institutions of the commonwealth and the superintendents and keepers of jails, houses of correction and of all other penal or reformatory institutions shall include, but not be limited to, full and accurate records of every individual book, publication, and reading materials banned from use by prisoners. These records shall include, but not be limited to, identifying information of banned books, including the title, author, subject matter, and ISBN number of each book; the name of the facility where the book is banned; an explanation as to why the book is banned; and any records of appeals made on a banned book, without disclosing the names or any identifying information of the person in custody who made the appeal.