HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3522        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2063

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jonathan D. Zlotnik

_________________

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 corrections officer safety.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Jonathan D. Zlotnik

2nd Worcester

1/17/2025

Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr.

5th Worcester

2/7/2025

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/10/2025

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

2/11/2025

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

2/19/2025

John J. Marsi

6th Worcester

2/19/2025

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/19/2025

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

2/19/2025

Kenneth P. Sweezey

6th Plymouth

3/4/2025

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

3/20/2025


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3522        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2063

By Representative Zlotnik of Gardner, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2063) of Jonathan D. Zlotnik and others relative to penalties for assault and battery upon corrections officers and other Department of Correction staff.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to corrections officer safety.

 

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 265 Section 13D of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the last paragraph, the following paragraph:

"Whoever commits an assault and battery upon a corrections officer, or other Department of Corrections staff person when such person is engaged in the performance of their duties at the time of such assault and battery and who by such assault and battery causes serious bodily injury to the corrections officer, or Department of Corrections staff person shall be punished by a term of imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 1 year nor more than 10 years, or house of correction for not less than 1 year, nor more than 2 1/2 years. No sentence imposed pursuant to this section shall be for less than a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 1 year and a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $10,000 may be imposed but not in lieu of the mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. A prosecution commenced under this paragraph shall not be placed on file or continued without a finding and a sentence imposed upon a person convicted of violating this paragraph shall not be suspended or reduced, nor shall such person be eligible for probation, parole, work release, furlough or receive any deduction from the person's sentence for good conduct until such person shall have served said mandatory minimum term of imprisonment. For purposes of this section, the term ''serious bodily injury'' shall mean bodily injury which results in a permanent disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of a bodily function, limb or organ or substantial risk of death."