Bill > H1168

This bill proposes to amend Chapter 265 of the General Laws, specifically Section 2, to ensure individuals alleged to have committed assault or assault and battery receive mental health evaluation and treatment instead of criminal charges if, at the time of the alleged incident, they were either being transported or held under specific sections of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 123 (which governs mental health procedures, including involuntary commitment and emergency evaluation) or were determined by mental health professionals to need psychiatric evaluation or treatment. This change aims to divert individuals with mental illness who have engaged in such behavior towards appropriate mental health care rather than the criminal justice system, as outlined in Chapter 123.