Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2703 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. 825 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2703
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Priscila S. Sousa
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 compliance with the anti-shackling law for pregnant incarcerated women.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex1/13/2025Sally P. Kerans13th Essex1/22/2025Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/22/2025Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex3/7/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 825 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2703
18	18	By Representative Sousa of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2703) of
19	19	Priscila S. Sousa and others for legislation to further amend the anti-shackling statute for
20	20	incarcerated pregnant women. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2350 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act to ensure compliance with the anti-shackling law for pregnant incarcerated women.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Subsection (b) of section 118 of chapter 127 of the General Laws, as
32	32	2appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
33	33	3 For the purposes of this section, “postpartum recovery” shall mean the time period that
34	34	4occurs immediately following childbirth up to a minimum of 6 weeks, or longer as determined
35	35	5by a physician.
36	36	6 SECTION 2. Said section 118 of chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
37	37	7by striking out the words “post-delivery recuperation” in lines 45 and 62, in each instance, and
38	38	8inserting in place thereof the following words:- “postpartum recovery”. 2 of 3
39	39	9 SECTION 3. Said section 118 of chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
40	40	10by inserting, in line 46, after the word “physician” the following words:- “or emergency medical
41	41	11personnel”.
42	42	12 SECTION 4. Said section 118 of chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
43	43	13by inserting, in line 72, after the word “inmate” the following words:- “under any circumstances
44	44	14or in any setting”
45	45	15 SECTION 5. Said section 118 of chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
46	46	16by inserting, in line 78, after the word “superintendent” the following words:- “of a state
47	47	17correctional facility or administrator of a county facility.”
48	48	18 SECTION 6. Said section 118 of chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby further amended
49	49	19by adding the following 3 paragraphs:-
50	50	20 The commissioner of correction and administrator of each county correctional facility
51	51	21shall require annual training of staff members who transport or supervise female prisoners as to
52	52	22the provisions of this section.
53	53	23 Any time restraints are used on a pregnant or postpartum inmate, the superintendent of a
54	54	24state correctional facility or administrator of a county correctional facility shall submit a report
55	55	25within 48 hours to the secretary of public safety and security, which shall include the date, time,
56	56	26duration, location and the rationale for the use of restraints, provided, however, that such reports
57	57	27shall not contain individually identifying information.
58	58	28 The secretary of public safety shall submit to the legislature a public report detailing
59	59	29compliance with this section, including all incidents involving use of restraints which shall be 3 of 3
60	60	30filed no later than July 1 of each year with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives,
61	61	31the chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security and the chairs of the
62	62	32joint committee on the judiciary.