Bill > S145

This bill amends Chapter 119 of the Massachusetts General Laws to provide legal protections for domestic violence survivors in child welfare proceedings. Specifically, the bill creates a legal presumption that a parent who is a victim of domestic violence should not be considered negligent in certain circumstances related to their experience of abuse. The new section 51I establishes that a parent will not automatically be deemed to have neglected their child if they: do not prevent a child from witnessing domestic violence, do not leave the home where the abuser resides, do not end the relationship with the alleged perpetrator, do not report the violence to law enforcement or child welfare authorities, do not seek an abuse prevention order, or do not seek a harassment prevention order. This provision aims to protect domestic violence survivors from being penalized in child welfare cases for actions or inactions that are often survival strategies in abusive relationships, recognizing the complex dynamics of domestic violence and its impact on families.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S145