MA H4396

Establishes a permanent law revision commission to identify defects and anachronisms in Massachusetts common law, statutes, and judicial decisions and recommend reforms

Commission membership includes 13 members: chairs of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary as co-chairs, the Attorney General, 4 attorneys appointed by legislative leaders, representatives from the District Attorneys Association and public counsel services, plus 4 governor appointees (a retired judge, 2 law school faculty, and a legal historian)

Commission responsibilities include recommending repeal of statutes already invalidated by courts or repealed by implication, evaluating consolidation of session laws into General Laws, and improving accessibility of state laws through open-source software tools

Commission must meet at least 4 times annually and submit reports with draft legislation to the Senate and House clerks, Ways and Means committees, and Joint Committee on the Judiciary at the close of each legislative session

Appointed members serve staggered 4-year terms, with initial terms ranging from 2-4 years depending on appointing authority to establish the staggered schedule