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MA S1132

Bill

Status

Introduced

2/27/2025

Primary Sponsor

Patricia Jehlen

Click for details

Origin

Senate

194th General Court

AI Summary

  • Creates a Division of Erroneous Felony Convictions Compensation within the Attorney General's office to administer an administrative claims process for wrongful conviction compensation
  • Provides $115,000 per year of incarceration and at least $57,500 per year on parole, probation, or sex offender registration, with Consumer Price Index adjustments for inflation
  • Eligible claimants must have been convicted of a felony (without guilty plea), sentenced to at least 1 year incarceration, and received either a gubernatorial pardon based on reasonable possibility of innocence or judicial relief vacating/reversing the conviction
  • Grants additional benefits including tuition/fee waivers at Massachusetts public colleges, MassHealth eligibility, reentry planning, housing assistance, and $15,000 transitional financial assistance within 30 days of release
  • Claims must be filed within 3 years of pardon or judicial relief, with appeals available through the Division of Administrative Law Appeals for de novo review

Legislative Description

Relative to compensation for victims of wrongful conviction

Last Action

Hearing scheduled for 06/03/2025 from 01:00 PM-09:00 PM in A-2

10/20/2025

Committee Referrals

Ways and Means7/24/2025
Judiciary2/27/2025

Full Bill Text

No bill text available