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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1553 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1823
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Kathleen R. LaNatra and Michelle L. Badger
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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 increasing penalties for hit and runs with recreational vehicles in the Commonwealth to
be known as the James Ward Act.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Kathleen R. LaNatra12th Plymouth1/15/2025Michelle L. Badger1st Plymouth1/15/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth2/5/2025Michael O. MooreSecond Worcester3/6/2025Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable2/7/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1553 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1823
By Representatives LaNatra of Kingston and Badger of Plymouth, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1823) of Kathleen R. LaNatra, Michelle L. Badger and others relative to
increasing penalties for hit and run with a recreational vehicle. The Judiciary.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act increasing penalties for hit and runs with recreational vehicles in the Commonwealth to
be known as the James Ward Act.
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 1. Section 26B of chapter 90B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 17 -18, the words “shall be punished
3by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000” and inserting in place thereof the following
4words:- person, not resulting in the death of another person, shall be punished by imprisonment
5in a jail or house of correction for not more than 1 year or by a fine of not less than $500 nor
6more than $1,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
7 SECTION 2. Said section 26B of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
8amended by inserting, after subsection (c), the following subsection:-
9 (d) Whoever operates a snow vehicle or a recreation vehicle and, without stopping and
10making known theirs name, address and the registration number of his snow vehicle or recreation
11vehicle, leaves the scene after knowingly colliding with or otherwise causing bodily injury to 2 of 2
12another person shall, if the injuries result in the death of another person, be punished by
13imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not
14more than $5,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.
15 SECTION 3. Said section 26B of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
16amended by striking out, in line 19, the word “(d)” and inserting in place thereof the following
17word:- (e).
18 SECTION 4. Said section 26B of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
19amended by striking out, in line 29, the word “(e)” and inserting in place thereof the following
20word:- (f).