Bill > H1718

This bill modifies Chapter 272 of Massachusetts General Laws by updating two key provisions related to child welfare and criminal offenses. First, it revises the existing law concerning the concealment of a child's death, establishing that anyone who hides the circumstances of a child's death in a manner that prevents determining whether the child was born alive or, if born alive, whether the child was murdered, can be imprisoned for up to 5 years in state prison or up to 2.5 years in a house of correction. Second, the bill introduces a new section that criminalizes the trading, selling, or arranging the sale of a minor child for money, property, or anything of value, with the same potential prison sentences as the first offense. This new provision aims to explicitly prohibit and penalize the buying and selling of children, which was previously not specifically addressed in the law. By establishing clear legal consequences for these actions, the bill seeks to protect children from potential exploitation and harm.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1718