Bill > H1747

This bill proposes to add a new section to Chapter 94C of Massachusetts law that provides immunity from prosecution for individuals who report certain crimes in good faith. Specifically, the bill protects a person from being charged or prosecuted for a range of low-level offenses, including possession of controlled substances, sex work, loitering, trespassing, soliciting, and related conspiracy charges, if these offenses are discovered as a result of the person reporting a crime. The immunity also extends to potential violations of probation, pretrial release, or parole conditions. Importantly, the protection applies even if the reported crime does not ultimately result in prosecution or conviction, and it remains in effect as long as the person reporting the crime continues to cooperate with law enforcement. The goal of this legislation appears to be encouraging individuals, particularly those involved in vulnerable or marginalized situations, to report serious crimes without fear of immediate legal repercussions for minor offenses they may have committed.