Bill > S1702

This bill establishes a special commission to study the potential expansion of sentencing jurisdiction in Massachusetts Houses of Correction, currently limited to housing inmates sentenced to up to two and a half years, to potentially include inmates sentenced to up to ten years. The commission will be composed of a diverse group of stakeholders, including legislators, state officials, sheriffs, legal professionals, and public members, who will comprehensively examine the implications of this potential change. The commission's duties include reviewing current sentencing statutes, assessing fiscal and operational impacts, evaluating potential benefits of enhanced local rehabilitation services, soliciting input from various stakeholders, studying best practices from other states, and considering the existing step-down system from the Department of Corrections. Within one year of its first meeting, the commission must file a detailed report with its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislative or regulatory changes, to the House and Senate Clerks and the Governor. The commission will be funded through existing appropriations from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, with potential additional budget allocations, and the act would take effect immediately upon passage.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1702