AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE PROSECUTION OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
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. The jurisdiction of the district court juvenile sessions effective on July 26, 1996 shall continue in effect, except as amended by chapter 200 of the acts of 1996, until such time as a division of the juvenile court department having territorial jurisdiction corresponding to that of such division of the district court department is established or January 1, 1999, whichever shall first occur, pursuant to section 203 of chapter 379 of the acts of 1992.
SECTION 2. Sections 1 to 13, inclusive, and sections 16 to 38, inclusive, of chapter 200 of the acts of 1996 shall apply to complaints filed and indictments returned for offenses allegedly committed on or after October 1, 1996.
SECTION 3. Sections 14 and 15 of chapter 200 of the acts of 1996 shall apply to murder cases in which the murder was allegedly committed on or after July 27, 1996.
SECTION 4. Defendants in delinquency actions pending on October 1, 1996 who have waived a first instance jury trial before such date shall be afforded an opportunity to withdraw such waiver and make an election according to the provisions of law established under chapter 200 of the acts of 1996.
SECTION 4A. Section 203 of chapter 379 of the acts of 1992 is hereby amended by striking out the word "ninety-eight", inserted by section 2 of chapter 452 of the acts of 1996, and inserting in place thereof the following word:- ninety-nine.
SECTION 5. Sections 1 to 4, inclusive, of this act shall take effect as of July 27, 1996.