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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1689 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3349
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Russell E. Holmes
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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 to return DOC and Parole to Health and Human Services.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Russell E. Holmes6th Suffolk1/15/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1689 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3349
By Representative Holmes of Boston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3349) of
Russell E. Holmes for legislation to transfer jurisdiction of the Department of Correction and the
Parole Board from the Executive Office of Public Safety to the Executive Office of Health and
Human Services. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3949 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 to return DOC and Parole to Health and Human Services.
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. Section 16 of chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the second paragraph and inserting in place
3thereof the following paragraph:-
4 The executive office of health and human services shall include: (1) the department of
5elder affairs under the direction of a secretary of elder affairs, who shall be appointed by the
6governor; (2) the office of health services, which shall include the department of public health,
7the department of mental health, the division of medical assistance and the Betsy Lehman center
8for patient safety and medical error reduction; (3) the office of children, youth and family
9services, which shall include the department of children and families, the department of 2 of 3
10transitional assistance, the department of youth services, the child abuse prevention board and
11the office for refugees and immigrants; (4) the department of correction, including the parole
12board; (5) the office of disabilities and community services, which shall include the department
13of developmental services, the Massachusetts rehabilitation commission, the Massachusetts
14commission for the blind and the Massachusetts commission for the deaf and hard of hearing; (6)
15the managed care oversight board; (7) the health facilities appeals board; and () the office of
16health equity.
17 SECTION 2. Said chapter 6A, as so appearing is hereby further amended by striking out
18section 18 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
19 Section 18. The following state agencies are hereby declared to be within the executive
20office of public safety and security: the department of fire services; the office of grants and
21research and the highway safety division; the municipal police training committee; the
22Massachusetts department of criminal justice information services; the state 911 department; the
23department of state police; the office of the chief medical examiner; the Massachusetts
24emergency management agency; the military department; the sex offender registry board; and all
25other agencies and boards within said departments, committees and boards.
26 SECTION 3. Section 1 of chapter 27 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
27Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 10, the words "public safety" and
28inserting in place thereof the following words:- health and human services.
29 SECTION 4. Section 2 of said chapter 27, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
30out, in line 2, the words "public safety" and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
31health and human services. 3 of 3
32 SECTION 5. Section 4 of said chapter 27, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
33out, in line 20, the words "public safety" and inserting in place thereof the following words:-
34health and human services.
35 SECTION 6. Section 7 of said chapter 27, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking
36out, in line 4, the words "public safety" and inserting in place thereof the words:- health and
37human services.