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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1287 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1773
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to promote correctional personnel safety.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida7th Plymouth1/18/2023Michael J. Soter8th Worcester1/26/2023Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable1/28/2023Kelly W. Pease4th Hampden1/31/2023Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester1/31/2023David F. DeCoste5th Plymouth2/9/2023Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk2/14/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1287 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1773
By Representative Sullivan-Almeida of Abington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
1773) of Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida and others relative to penalties for persons confined to
correctional facilities who commit assault or assault and battery by means of dangerous weapons
upon officers, other employees, volunteers or employees of contractors. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1883 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to promote correctional personnel safety.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 38B of chapter 127 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official
2Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following subsection:-
3 (d) Any person in the custody of a correctional facility, including any jail, house of
4correction, trial court detention facility or state prison, who commits an assault or an assault and
5battery by means of a dangerous weapon upon an officer or other employee, any volunteer or
6employee of a contractor in any such facility or any duly authorized officer or other employee of
7any such facility engaged in the transportation of a prisoner for any lawful purpose shall be
8punished by imprisonment for not more than 2 and one-half years in a jail or house of correction
9or for not more than 20 years in a state prison. Such sentence shall begin from and after all 2 of 2
10sentences currently outstanding and unserved at the time of said assault or assault and battery.
11For purposes of this subsection, “dangerous weapon” shall include objects that are designed or
12intended to be used as a weapon, including those objects that are custom or homemade.