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H1597 • 2025

An Act limiting the use of prison labor

An Act limiting the use of prison labor

Crime
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Antonio F. D. Cabral
Last action
2026-02-19
Official status
Accompanied a new draft, see H5125
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act limiting the use of prison labor

An Act limiting the use of prison labor By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act limiting the use of prison labor By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1597) of Antonio F.
  • D.
  • Cabral relative to the use of prison labor outside of the Commonwealth.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-19 House

    Accompanied a new draft, see H5125

  2. 2025-11-18 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 11/18/2025 from 01:00 PM-08:00 PM in A-1 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  3. 2025-11-07 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 11/18/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1

  4. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on The Judiciary

  5. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act limiting the use of prison labor
By Representative Cabral of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1597) of Antonio F. D. Cabral relative to the use of prison labor outside of the Commonwealth. The Judiciary.

Current Bill Text

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Bill H.1597

Chapter 125 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 22. No administrator or superintendent of any correctional institution, including any correctional facility, county correctional facility, penal institution, state correctional facility, state prison, or jail, shall transfer any inmate or prisoner outside of the commonwealth; and no inmate or prisoner of any correctional institution, including any correctional facility, county correctional facility, penal institution, state correctional facility, state prison, or jail, shall be transferred outside of the commonwealth, for the purpose of engaging in labor outside of the Commonwealth.

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