Massachusetts

Status: S. 2371 is now law! On April 4th, S. 2371 passed the Massachusetts Senate unanimously and the Massachusetts House of Representatives by a vote of 148-5. On April 13th, Gov. Charlie Baker signed S. 2371 into law. This new law repeals a number of mandatory minimums for low-level drug distribution offenses and creates a system of medical parole in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. However, the new law also created new mandatory minimums for drug crimes involving synthetic opioids, fentanyl, and carfentanyl as well as repeat DUI offenses and assault on an officer resulting in serious bodily injury.

Read FAMM’s statement on the signing of S. 2371

2017:

In 2017, FAMM supported S.819 sponsored by Senator Cynthia Creem. This bill would have repealed Massachusetts’ mandatory minimum drug laws.

2015:

FAMM helped key legislators draft a bill to repeal all drug mandatory minimums. However, it appears that no action will be taken this session while the Council for State Governments undertakes its review of Massachusetts’ criminal justice system.

2012:

Mandatory minimum sentences for many drug offenses were shortened, by up to one-third. For drug offenders who were already in prison, many became eligible for parole, work release and earned good time — either at an earlier date or for the first time ever. The size of drug-free school zones was also reduced from 1,000 feet to 300 feet, to better reflect the law’s intent to protect children.

2010:

State lawmakers eased harsh drug sentencing laws for the first time since they were enacted in the 1980s. Certain nonviolent drug offenders sentenced to mandatory minimums sentences at county prisons (called “houses of correction” in Massachusetts) became eligible for parole.

1980’s:

Massachusetts lawmakers created a system of mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. These “one size fits all” sentences are usually based solely on the weight of the drugs in question, not what the person actually did or whether he or she is a danger to public safety.

Encourage your state lawmakers to support mandatory minimum sentencing reform. Be sure to connect with FAMM and other sentencing reformers on Facebook, Twitter, and by signing up for our email list.

Visit our Get Involved page to learn more about advocacy across the nation.

Sentencing/Criminal Justice Reform Groups Massachusetts:

• Prison Policy Initiative
• Massachusetts Criminal Justice Reform Coalition
• Criminal Justice Policy Coalition
• Jobs Not Jails
• American Civil Liberties Union

FAMM’s Statement on Massachusetts Senate Criminal Justice Reform Package

FAMM’s Statement on Massachusetts House of Representatives Criminal Justice Reform Package 

Medical Parole in Massachusetts: National Organizations Weigh In