A report of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association (under Section 20D of Chapter 12 of the General Laws) submitting its report on the status of child abuse and neglect cases for fiscal year 2025

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

The bill requires the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association to produce and submit a FY2025 status report on child abuse and neglect prosecutions.

Placed on file

Bill Summary: HD 6084 (194th Massachusetts Legislature)

Purpose and intent

This bill is a report submitted by the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association under Section 20D of Chapter 12 of the General Laws.

It provides a status update on child abuse and neglect cases for fiscal year 2025.

Key provisions and changes

The core requirement is the inclusion of a formal report by the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association detailing the status of child abuse and neglect cases within the Commonwealth for FY2025.

The bill does not appear to create new statutory duties or mandates beyond the reporting obligation; rather, it establishes or codifies the obligation for the DA's Association to produce and submit the status report.

The content of the report (as typically required by this statute) would likely cover metrics such as case initiation, charging decisions, disposition outcomes, timelines, and resource or systemic issues affecting prosecution. However, the specific elements to be included in the FY2025 report are not enumerated in the bill text itself and would be detailed by the statute or accompanying guidance.

Who is affected

Primary: The Massachusetts District Attorneys Association (as the reporting entity) and the Office of the Attorney General or other state agencies that rely on the report for oversight.

Secondary: Parties involved in child abuse and neglect prosecutions (victims, families, prosecutors, courts) who rely on data and trends to inform policy, practice, and resource allocation.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Status: As of the action history, the bill has been “Placed on file,” meaning it has been received and is not currently advancing to a committee vote or further legislative action in this session.

Timing: The bill concerns fiscal year 2025 data; the timeline for the report would be determined by statutory requirements under Section 20D of Chapter 12 of the General Laws, including submission deadlines set by the law or by the DA Association’s internal processes.

Potential impact and considerations

Provides policymakers, practitioners, and the public with a consolidated overview of the status of child abuse and neglect prosecutions for FY2025, enabling assessment of trends, caseloads, and potential gaps in the system.

If enacted, it could inform budget decisions, resource allocation, and process improvements within district attorney offices and related state agencies.

The effectiveness of the report in driving reforms will depend on the specificity of required data elements and the accessibility of the produced information to stakeholders.

Note: This summary reflects the information available from the bill’s title and action history. For precise data elements required in the FY2025 report and any accompanying statutory language, the bill text and any referenced regulations or guidance should be consulted.