HD6262 • 2025

An Act relative to strengthening penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws

Crime

Active

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

Sponsor: Justin Thurber
Last action: 2026-07-08
Official status: Referred to House Committee on Rules
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 relative to strengthening penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws

An Act relative to strengthening penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws By Representative Thurber of Somerset, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Justin Thurber relative to penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws.

What This Bill Does

An Act relative to strengthening penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws By Representative Thurber of Somerset, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Justin Thurber relative to penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws.
The Judiciary.
Status: Referred to House Committee on Rules

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

2026-07-08 House
Referred to the committee on House Rules

Official Summary Text

An Act relative to strengthening penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws
By Representative Thurber of Somerset, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Justin Thurber relative to penalties and enforcement of prison contraband laws. The Judiciary.
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Rules

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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Bill HD.6262

SECTION 1. Chapter 268 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2024 official edition, is hereby amended by striking out Section 28 in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following:-

“Section 28. (a) Whoever gives or delivers to a prisoner in any correctional institution, or in any jail or house of correction, any drug or article whatever, or has in his possession within the precincts of any prison herein named with intent to give or deliver to any prisoner any such drug or article without the permission of the superintendent or keeper, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years, or in a jail or house of correction for not more than two years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.

(b) Whoever violates the provisions of this section while either employed by or volunteering for a county Sheriff’s office, or the Department of Correction, or a private company contracted by either a Sheriff’s Office or the Department of Correction to provide goods or services to inmates, shall be punished by imprisonment in a state prison for not less than one year nor more than five years, or for not less than one year in a house of correction. The sentence imposed on such person shall not be reduced to less than one year, nor suspended, nor shall any person convicted under this section be eligible for probation, parole, work release, or furlough or receive any deduction from their sentence for good conduct prior to serving one year of the sentence.”

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