Bill > H4686

This bill aims to strengthen the oversight and management of evidence rooms and evidentiary procedures in Massachusetts. Key provisions include: 1. Requiring police departments to conduct annual random-sampling audits and semi-annual inspections of their evidence and property rooms, with written reports submitted to state and local authorities. 2. Mandating a full audit of a department's evidence and property every 5 years, to be conducted by a department employee not involved in the evidence/property room operations. 3. Allowing the state's Secretary of Public Safety to order a full audit by a neutral third-party entity if a department fails to submit required audit reports. 4. Establishing procedures for the handling, storage, and disposal of seized monies and other evidence/property, with detailed record-keeping requirements. 5. Directing the Department of Environmental Protection to study the disposal of controlled substances and make recommendations to improve safe and legal disposal methods. 6. Requiring all departments to complete a full audit of their evidence and property within 1 year of the bill's effective date.

Budget and Finance

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/H4686