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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1980 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1830
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
John J. Lawn, Jr.
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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 relative to governmental and charitable tort liability.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:John J. Lawn, Jr.10th Middlesex1/15/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1980 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1830
By Representative Lawn of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1830) of
John J. Lawn, Jr. for legislation relative to governmental and charitable tort liability. The
Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 916 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to governmental and charitable tort liability.
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 85K of chapter 231 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the words “shall not exceed the sum of
3$100,000, exclusive of interests and costs” the following:- “provided, however, that all claims of
4sexual abuse of a minor, as defined in section 4C of chapter 260, shall not be subject to a
5limitation on damages”
6 SECTION 2. Section 2 of chapter 258 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
7Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “the Massachusetts Bay
8Transportation Authority shall not be subject to a $100,000 limitation on compensatory
9damages” the following:- “; provided further that all claims of sexual abuse of a minor, as
10defined in section 4C of chapter 260, shall not be subject to a $100,000 limitation on damages” 2 of 2
11 SECTION 3. Subsection (j) of section 10 of said chapter 258 is hereby amended by
12inserting, after paragraph (4), the following paragraph:- “(5) any claim of sexual abuse of a
13minor, as defined in section 4C of chapter 260, by a public employee or contractor.”