Bill > H1886

This bill modifies several existing laws to create a legal privilege for certain legal professionals and their support staff, specifically exempting them from mandatory reporting requirements in cases involving potential abuse or neglect. Under the proposed changes, individuals who are retained by an attorney or employed by a legal service provider would not be considered "mandated reporters" if they become aware of potential abuse or reportable conditions during the course of their work assisting attorneys in representing individual clients. This exemption applies to various contexts, including situations involving elderly persons, disabled individuals, patients or residents in care facilities, and children. The bill covers multiple chapters of Massachusetts law, including those related to elder care, disabled persons, healthcare, and child protection. Importantly, the bill ensures that such legal professionals and their staff cannot be required to report or be disciplined for not reporting instances of potential abuse or neglect that come to their attention through their professional legal work, effectively creating a confidentiality protection similar to attorney-client privilege that extends to support staff working directly with legal service providers.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1886