Bill > S951

This bill establishes the Murder Victims Families Assistance Fund, a dedicated fund on the books of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to provide financial aid to the immediate families of murder victims, defined as a spouse, child, sibling, parent, stepparent, or legal guardian, unless that family member is charged in the crime. The fund will be financed by voluntary contributions from publishers, authors, movie, or television studios or companies that create content based on murders committed in the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Film Office will inform these entities about the fund's existence, and the victim and witness assistance board will manage the fund, receiving, depositing, and investing all monies, with any interest or earnings credited back to the fund. Finally, district attorneys will be responsible for requesting and distributing money from the fund to eligible immediate family members of murder victims.