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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1455 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1985
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Amy Mah Sangiolo
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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 civil commitments and the appeal of those commitments.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Amy Mah Sangiolo11th Middlesex1/15/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth1/28/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1455 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1985
By Representative Sangiolo of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1985) of
Amy Mah Sangiolo and Patrick Joseph Kearney relative to civil commitments and the appeal of
those commitments. 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 relative to civil commitments and the appeal of those commitments.
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. Paragraph (a) of section 9 of chapter 123 is hereby amended by striking out
2 the words, “appellate division of the district courts” and inserting in place thereof the
3words:- "Appeals Court".
4 SECTION 2. Paragraph (a) of section 9 of chapter 123 is hereby amended by inserting a
5new sentence after “generally” : “Commitments based on alcohol or substance abuse disorder
6pursuant to chapter 123, section 35 may initially be reviewed by the Superior Court in the same
7manner as reviews of pre-trial detentions for dangerousness pursuant to chapter 276, section
858A.”
9 SECTION 3. Paragraph 1 of section 10 of chapter 211A is hereby amended by inserting a
10new clause after the words “the District Court department criminal session” : “the District Court
11and Boston Municipal Court civil session, relative to orders of civil commitment only.”