HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3516        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1800

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

_________________

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 special commission on check washing crimes.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/17/2025

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

1/17/2025

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

1/31/2025

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

3/10/2025


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3516        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1800

By Representative Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1800) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to deterring and prosecuting check washing crimes.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

_______________

 

An Act establishing a special commission on check washing crimes.

 

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. There is hereby established a special legislative commission to identify ways the commonwealth can more effectively deter and prosecute check washing crimes. For the purposes of this section, “check washing” shall be defined as the act of intercepting a check or money order and chemically or otherwise altering the check or money order to change the name of the payee, the dollar amount, or both and fraudulently cashing or depositing, or attempting to cash or deposit, the check or money order.

The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on financial services, who shall co-chair the commission and convene its first meeting within 60 days of the effective date of this act; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on consumer protection and professional licensure; one member appointed by the senate president; one member appointed by the senate minority leader; one member appointed by the house speaker; one member appointed by the house minority leader; the commissioner of banks or their designee; a representative from the Massachusetts bankers association; the secretary of public safety and security or their designee; a representative from the Massachusetts chiefs of police association; and two members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a retired postal worker or postmaster and one of whom shall have a minimum of five years of federal law enforcement experience.

The commission may convene one or more hearings to solicit input from the public. In conducting its investigation, the commission shall consider, but not be limited to: identifying ways to better protect consumers from falling victim to check washing schemes; determining appropriate penalties for those who engage in check washing; and identifying more effective means of prosecuting check washing crimes.

The commission shall file a report containing its findings, along with any legislative recommendations, with the clerk of the house and the clerk of the senate on or before June 30, 2026.