HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1442        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Mary S. Keefe

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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 to promote timely access to parole hearings.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1442        FILED ON: 1/14/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

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 to promote timely access to parole hearings.

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 4 of chapter 27 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking the first sentence and inserting the following sentence:-

There shall be in the department, but not subject to its jurisdiction, a parole board, consisting of twelve members, to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, for terms of five years.

SECTION 2. Section 4 of chapter 27 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after the last sentence in the third paragraph the following sentences:-

The chairperson shall designate 7 of the 12 members to preside over life sentence hearings and 5 of the 12 members to preside over regular order hearings. The chairperson shall consider regional appointments of board members for the purposes of covering regular order hearings. At least 1 of the 7 life sentence hearing board members shall have professional experience in forensic psychology and at least 2 of the 7 life sentence hearing board members shall have professional experience in social services or reentry coordination. At least 1 of the 5 regular order hearing board members shall have professional experience in forensic psychology and at least 2 of the 5 regular order hearing board members shall have professional experience in social services or reentry coordination. The chairperson shall designate board members to sit on a rotating basis for clemency and parole termination proceedings.

SECTION 3. Section 133A of chapter 127 of the General Laws, is hereby amended in the first sentence by striking the number “18” and inserting the number “21”.

SECTION 4. Section 133A of chapter 127 of the General Laws, is hereby amended by striking the second sentence and inserting the following sentence:-

The parole board shall, within 60 days before the expiration of such minimum term, conduct a public hearing before 5 out those 7 board members appointed to sit for life sentence hearings, as determined by the chairperson, unless a member of the board is determined to be unavailable as provided in this section.