Bill > S791

This bill proposes to amend Chapter 265 of the General Laws by adding a new section that establishes mandatory minimum sentences for individuals who commit an assault or assault and battery on a law enforcement officer by discharging a firearm, rifle, shotgun, sawed-off shotgun, assault weapon, or covert weapon, while knowing or having reason to know the victim is a law enforcement officer. A "law enforcement officer" is defined in this context to include officers from municipal police departments, the state police, and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) police department. If convicted under this new section, the offender faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, with the possibility of life imprisonment, and a fine of up to $150,000, though the fine cannot be in place of the mandatory prison term. Furthermore, any prosecutions under this section cannot be continued without a finding or placed on file, meaning cases must proceed to a resolution.