HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1555 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1747
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Natalie M. Higgins and Lindsay N. Sabadosa
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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 safe reporting.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Natalie M. Higgins | 4th Worcester | 1/15/2025 |
Lindsay N. Sabadosa | 1st Hampshire | 1/15/2025 |
Susannah M. Whipps | 2nd Franklin | 1/30/2025 |
James K. Hawkins | 2nd Bristol | 2/12/2025 |
Mike Connolly | 26th Middlesex | 3/4/2025 |
Samantha Montaño | 15th Suffolk | 3/6/2025 |
Michael O. Moore | Second Worcester | 3/6/2025 |
Patrick Joseph Kearney | 4th Plymouth | 3/28/2025 |
Danillo A. Sena | 37th Middlesex | 4/11/2025 |
Adrian C. Madaro | 1st Suffolk | 6/10/2025 |
Jack Patrick Lewis | 7th Middlesex | 6/16/2025 |
Tara T. Hong | 18th Middlesex | 6/23/2025 |
Erika Uyterhoeven | 27th Middlesex | 7/8/2025 |
Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex | 11/26/2025 |
James B. Eldridge | Middlesex and Worcester | 12/2/2025 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1555 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1747
By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Sabadosa of Northampton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1747) of Natalie M. Higgins, Lindsay N. Sabadosa and others relative to immunity from prosecution for certain crimes. The Judiciary. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to safe reporting.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 22 . Chapter 94C is hereby amended by inserting after section 34A the following section:- Section 34B: Any person who, in good faith, reports a crime shall not be charged or prosecuted for (i) possession of a controlled substance under section 34, (ii) sex for fee under chapter 272 section 53A subsections (a) or (b), (iii) loitering under chapter 161 section 95, (iv) trespassing under chapter 266 section 120, (v) soliciting under chapter 272 section 8, or (vi) conspiracy to commit any of the aforementioned offenses under chapter 94C section 40, or found in violation of a condition of probation or pretrial release as determined by a court or a condition of parole, as determined by the parole board if the evidence for the above enumerated offenses was gained as a result of reporting a crime.
If the reporting victim or witness later withdraws their cooperation with law enforcement, the victim or witness may not be charged under those sections of the laws cited above. It is not necessary that a reported crime be prosecuted or result in a conviction in order for the protection provided by this section to be applicable.