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H1995 • 2025

An Act regularizing sentencing for hate crimes

An Act regularizing sentencing for hate crimes

Crime
Active

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

Sponsor
Priscila S. Sousa
Last action
2026-03-26
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
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 regularizing sentencing for hate crimes

An Act regularizing sentencing for hate crimes By Representative Sousa of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act regularizing sentencing for hate crimes By Representative Sousa of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 1995) of Priscila S.
  • Sousa and Marian Ryan relative to sentencing for hate crimes.
  • The Judiciary.

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. 2026-03-26 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-11-26 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 11/25/2025 from 10:00 AM-05:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  3. 2025-11-25 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 11/25/2025 from 10:00 AM-04:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  4. 2025-11-14 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 11/25/2025 from 10:00 AM-05:00 PM in A-2

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on The Judiciary

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  7. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act regularizing sentencing for hate crimes
By Representative Sousa of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1995) of Priscila S. Sousa and Marian Ryan relative to sentencing for hate crimes. The Judiciary.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.1995

SECTION 1: Section 37 of chapter 265 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2021 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “or both” in line 7 the following:

“A person convicted or receiving a continuance without a finding under the provisions of this section shall complete a diversity awareness program designed by the secretary of the executive office of public safety in consultation with the Massachusetts commission against discrimination and approved by the chief justice of the trial court, unless, upon good cause shown, the court issues specific written findings describing the reason that such program should not be ordered. If the court finds that the defendant was motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, the court shall order such program. A person so convicted or granted a continuance without a finding shall complete such program prior to release from incarceration or prior to completion of the terms of probation, whichever is applicable.”

SECTION 2: Subsection (b) of section 39 of chapter 265 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2021 official edition, is hereby amended by striking the second paragraph.

Subsection (b) of section 39 of chapter 265 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “A person convicted” the following:

“or receiving a continuance without a finding”

Subsection (b) of section 39 of chapter 265 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “A person so convicted” the following:

“or granted a continuance without a finding”

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