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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 747 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2736
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Steven George Xiarhos and Richard G. Wells, 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 the security of exercise equipment and free weights in correctional
institutions.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable1/13/2025Richard G. Wells, Jr.7th Norfolk1/13/2025Paul K. Frost7th Worcester1/25/2025Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr.5th Worcester2/11/2025Joseph D. McKenna18th Worcester2/11/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 747 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2736
By Representatives Xiarhos of Barnstable and Wells of Milton, a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 2736) of Steven George Xiarhos, Richard G. Wells, Jr. and others relative to the
security of exercise equipment and free weights in correctional institutions. Public Safety and
Homeland Security.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2422 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 security of exercise equipment and free weights in correctional
institutions.
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. This Act shall be commonly known as "Matt's Law".
2 SECTION 2. Section 14 of Chapter 125 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018
3Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following sentence:- The
4superintendent shall be responsible for ensuring that any and all exercise equipment accessible
5by inmates is secured in order to prevent its removal and that no inmate in a medium-security or
6maximum-security correctional institution has access to any free weights.