Press Room

Bill Would Also Connect Exonerees with Support Services

(BOSTON—11/9/2026) The Senate Committee on Ways and Means today advanced legislation to provide fairer compensation to wrongfully convicted people who have cleared their name in court. The bill updates an outdated system ensuring that restitution is more meaningful and better reflects the current cost of living.

The Committee voted this morning to advance a redrafted version of the bill, S.3300, to the full Senate for consideration at a future session.

The legislation removes an outdated cap that has limited the damages a court can award to an exonerated person who has proven their innocence.

Going forward, it creates a uniform compensation rate of $115,000 for every year that the person was wrongfully imprisoned, with added compensation for time they spent on parole or probation. At the same time, the bill keeps in place a high bar for proving innocence to receive compensation.

To better help exonerees adjust to life outside of prison, the bill supplements current support services by making clear that, if appropriate, the state should help them with things like health care, reentry services, and housing assistance.

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate press room.

The Ways and Means Committee’s bill is a new version of legislation that was advanced earlier this session on a 6-0 vote by the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. The original bill, filed by Senator Patricia D. Jehlen, received a public hearing in June 2025.

All votes taken at the committee and chamber levels are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website.

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