AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE COMMITMENT OF MENTALLY ILL PERSONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Paragraph (c) of section 7 of chapter 123 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:- The hearing on a petition brought for commitment pursuant to paragraph (e) of section 15, and sections 16 and 18, or for a subsequent commitment pursuant to paragraph (d) of section 8 shall be commenced within 14 days of the filing of the petition, unless a delay is requested by the person or his counsel. For all other persons, the hearing shall be commenced within 4 days of the filing of the petition, unless a delay is requested by the person or his counsel.