1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1789 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1066
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Sal N. DiDomenico
_________________
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 addressing discriminatory police reporting.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1789 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1066
By Mr. DiDomenico, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1066) of Sal N. DiDomenico
for legislation to address discriminatory police reporting. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 949 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act addressing discriminatory police reporting.
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 11I of chapter 12 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
3 A private civil right of action shall exist against any individual who knowingly makes a
4false call to law enforcement or otherwise intentionally summons a law enforcement officer or
5agent, without reason to suspect a violation of a criminal law, any criminal conduct or an
6imminent threat to person or property by an individual or group of individuals, in whole or in
7part because of a belief or perception of the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender,
8religion, religious practice, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity of the individual
9or group of individuals. The private civil action may be brought by the individual or group of
10individuals for injunctive relief, damages or other appropriate relief. If the court determines in 2 of 2
11any such action that the respondent has violated this section, an injunction may be issued by such
12court, enjoining and restraining any further violation, without requiring evidence that any person
13has been injured or damaged. For the purposes of this section, a person shall lack reason to
14suspect a violation of a criminal law, any criminal conduct or an imminent threat to person or
15property if a reasonable person would not suspect such a violation, conduct or threat based on the
16totality of the circumstances.
17 SECTION 2. Section 39 of chapter 265 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
18amended by adding the following subsection:-
19 (c) Whoever knowingly makes a false police report or summons a law enforcement
20officer, without reason to suspect a violation of a criminal law, any criminal conduct or an
21imminent threat to person or property by an individual or group of individuals, in whole or in
22part because of a belief or perception of the race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender,
23religion, religious practice, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity of the individual
24shall be punished by a fine of not more than 5 thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of
25correction for not more than 2 ½ years or by both such fine and imprisonment. The court may
26also order restitution to the victim for property damage in an amount of not more than 3 times the
27value of property damage sustained by the owners of such property. For the purposes of this
28section, a person shall lack reason to suspect a violation of a criminal law, any criminal conduct
29or an imminent threat to person or property if a reasonable person would not suspect such a
30violation, conduct or threat based on the totality of the circumstances.