Bill > S1490

This bill aims to establish a "Fresh Start Program" within the Executive Office of Public Safety in Massachusetts. The key provisions are: 1. The program will serve to remove the negative consequences, such as difficulty in gaining employment and mental health challenges, that can result from past criminal offense stories published online about an individual. 2. The program will allow individuals to request that online stories about their criminal offenses or other events be updated, removed, or anonymized. 3. The program will make recommendations to media outlets regarding the requested changes, and the outlets will be encouraged to accept the program's decisions. 4. The bill creates a "Fresh Start Coordinating Council" to oversee the program, including identifying best practices, establishing review guidelines, providing recommendations for the program's director, and approving an appeal process for application decisions. 5. The council will consist of 25 members, including representatives from the legislature, law enforcement, the judiciary, civil liberties organizations, and those with past histories of incarceration. 6. The council will submit an annual report to the governor and legislature on the program's progress, including data on applications received and decisions accepted by media outlets, as well as any additional recommendations.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1490