Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1978 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 960 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1978
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Lindsay N. Sabadosa
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to ensure the responsible use of advanced robotic technologies.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/14/2025Patricia A. Duffy5th Hampden1/30/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 960 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1978
18	18	By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1978)
19	19	of Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Patricia A. Duffy relative to the responsible use of certain advanced
20	20	robotic technologies. The Judiciary.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act to ensure the responsible use of advanced robotic technologies.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 Chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 Official Edition, is hereby
30	30	2amended by inserting after section 131Y the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 131Z.
32	32	4 (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings unless
33	33	5the context clearly requires otherwise: —
34	34	6 “Robotic device,” a device capable of locomotion, navigation, movement or flight that
35	35	7operates at a distance from its operator or supervisor based on commands or in response to
36	36	8sensor data, or a combination of both, including but not limited to an uncrewed aerial vehicle.
37	37	9 “Weapon”, any device designed to threaten or cause death, incapacitation or physical
38	38	10injury to a person, including but not limited to firearms, chemical agents or irritants,
39	39	11flamethrowers, kinetic impact projectiles, weaponized lasers and explosive devices. 2 of 4
40	40	12 (b) It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not acting under color of law, to
41	41	13manufacture, modify, sell, transfer, possess or operate a robotic device equipped or mounted
42	42	14with a weapon. Whoever knowingly violates the provisions of this subsection shall be punished
43	43	15by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 2½ years nor more than 5 years, or in a
44	44	16house of correction for not less than 18 months nor more than 2 ½ years. Whoever, after having
45	45	17been convicted of any of the offenses set forth in this subsection, commits a second or
46	46	18subsequent offense set forth in this subsection, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state
47	47	19prison for not less than 5 years nor more than 7 years; for a third such offense, by imprisonment
48	48	20in the state prison for not less than 7 years nor more than 10 years; and for a fourth such offense,
49	49	21by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than 10 years nor more than 15 years.
50	50	22 (c) It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not acting under color of law, to use a
51	51	23robotic device to: (A) threaten to commit a crime in violation of section 2 of chapter 275; (B)
52	52	24criminally harass another person in violation of section 43A of chapter 265; or (C) physically
53	53	25restrain or to attempt to physically restrain another person. Whoever knowingly violates the
54	54	26provisions of this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not
55	55	27more than 2½ years, by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.
56	56	28Whoever, after having been convicted of any of the offenses set forth in this subsection, commits
57	57	29a second or subsequent offense set forth in this subsection, shall be punished by imprisonment in
58	58	30a house of correction for not more than 2½ years or in a state prison for not more than 10 years,
59	59	31by a fine of not more than $15,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.
60	60	32 (d) This section shall not apply to: 3 of 4
61	61	33 (i) the United States Department of Defense, or any of its departments, agencies or units,
62	62	34and the Massachusetts National Guard;
63	63	35 (ii) a defense industrial company with respect to robotic devices that are within the scope
64	64	36of its contract with the department of defense;
65	65	37 (iii) a defense industrial company with respect to robotic devices that are within the scope
66	66	38of its waiver obtained from the attorney general;
67	67	39 (iv) robotic devices within the scope of a waiver obtained from the attorney general
68	68	40solely for the development or testing of technology intended to detect, prevent or mitigate the
69	69	41unauthorized weaponization of robotic devices; or
70	70	42 (v) robotic devices within the scope of a waiver obtained from the attorney general solely
71	71	43for educational or entertainment purposes.
72	72	44 (e) It shall not be a violation of this section for law enforcement agencies or officers, as
73	73	45those terms are defined in section 1 of chapter 6E, acting in the public performance of their
74	74	46duties to operate a robotic device equipped or mounted with a weapon or disrupter technology:
75	75	47(i) to destroy, defuse or dispose of explosives or suspected explosives; (ii) for the destruction of
76	76	48property when there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury; or (iii) for
77	77	49development, evaluation, testing, education or training relating to the uses permitted in (ii) and
78	78	50(iii) of this subsection.
79	79	51 (f) A law enforcement agency shall be required to obtain a warrant, or other legally
80	80	52required judicial authorization, prior to deploying a robotic device: (i) onto private property in
81	81	53any situation in which a warrant would be required if the entry onto that property were made by 4 of 4
82	82	54an officer; and (ii) to conduct surveillance or location tracking in any situation in which a
83	83	55warrant or other legally required judicial authorization would be required if such surveillance or
84	84	56tracking were conducted by an officer or other technology.
85	85	57 (g) Any individual may bring a civil action for damages and equitable relief, including
86	86	58injunctive relief, resulting from a violation of this section or a regulation promulgated under this
87	87	59section in any court of competent jurisdiction. A plaintiff who prevails in an action under this
88	88	60section shall be entitled to an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in
89	89	61connection with said action.
90	90	62 (h) Each law enforcement agency shall document, as a public record, each time it uses a
91	91	63robotic device quarterly to the executive office of public safety and security. Reported
92	92	64information shall include: the date and time of the use; the scope, target and objective of the use;
93	93	65whether the robotic device was equipped or mounted with a weapon; the permitted reason for
94	94	66use; and whether a warrant or other legally required judicial authorization was obtained. The
95	95	67executive office of public safety and security shall annually, not later than March 31, publicly
96	96	68report this information on its website.
97	97	69 (i) The secretary of the executive office of public safety may promulgate rules and
98	98	70regulations to carry out the provisions of this section, including rules and regulations related to
99	99	71the permitted uses of robotic devices equipped or mounted with a weapon by law enforcement
100	100	72set forth in subsection (e).
101	101	73 (j) The attorney general shall promulgate rules and regulations relating to the waivers
102	102	74described in subsection (d).