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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 826 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2704
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Priscila S. Sousa
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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 the postpartum treatment of women in correctional facilities.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex1/13/2025Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/22/2025Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex3/7/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 826 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2704
By Representative Sousa of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2704) of
Priscila S. Sousa, Mindy Domb and Christine P. Barber relative to the postpartum treatment of
women in correctional facilities. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2404 OF 2023-2024.]
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 the postpartum treatment of women in correctional facilities.
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 118 of said chapter 127, as so appearing, is hereby amended by changing the first
2sentence of the eighth paragraph to the following:-
3 “During post-delivery recuperation, an inmate shall remain in the hospital until the
4attending physician certifies that she may be safely discharged and transferred back to the
5correctional facility, as well as until the pediatrician caring for the infant has deemed the infant
6has had sufficient time in the biological mother’s presence to reasonably ensure the health of the
7infant up to, but not exceeding 72 hours.”