Bill > H3349

This bill proposes to transfer the Department of Correction (DOC) and the Parole Board from the Executive Office of Public Safety to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). Specifically, the legislation modifies several sections of Massachusetts state law to reflect this administrative reorganization. The bill amends Chapter 6A to add the Department of Correction and Parole Board to the list of agencies under EOHHS, while simultaneously removing these agencies from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security's jurisdiction. Additionally, the bill makes corresponding technical changes to Chapter 27, replacing references to "public safety" with "health and human services" in various sections related to these agencies. The practical effect of this bill is to shift the administrative oversight and potential policy approach for corrections and parole from a public safety-focused executive office to one primarily concerned with human services, which could potentially signal a different philosophical approach to managing correctional and parole systems, emphasizing rehabilitation and social services alongside public safety considerations.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H3349