Bill

S 2743

An Act addressing staged suicides

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jim Hawkins and 1 co-sponsor

The bill standardizes officer certification for investigating deaths of domestic violence survivors and expands procedures to detect and properly investigate staged scenes and dome

Hearing rescheduled to 04/15/2026 from 10:00 AM-10:50 AM in B-1 Hearing updated to New End Time

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Bill Summary · S 2743

Summary of S. 2743: An Act addressing staged suicides

Overview

S. 2743, introduced by Sen. Rebecca L. Rausch (and cosponsored by James K. Hawkins), seeks to strengthen law enforcement response to deaths involving domestic violence survivors by addressing staged crime scenes and ensuring thorough investigations. The bill would create certification standards for officers, expand the definition of suspicious deaths, and provide enhanced procedures and rights for families and close friends in investigations. The measure has cleared the Senate and, as of late 2025, the House has concurred. If enacted, key provisions take effect January 1, 2027 (with certain provisions applying to investigations opened after July 1, 2027).

What the bill would do

Establish joint minimum certification standards for officers investigating the deaths of domestic violence survivors.
Require law enforcement to consider staged scenes and indicators of domestic homicide in suspicious death cases.
Expand the definition of “suspicious death case” within the domestic violence framework to include multiple specific factors.
Add procedural requirements for investigations of suspicious deaths (interviews, autopsies, and survivor supports).
Create new rights for family members and close friends when a death is investigated but not ruled homicide (including access to records and a second opinion autopsy).

Key provisions

Certification and training (Chapter 6E)

The Massachusetts Commission on Police Training and the Municipal Police Training Committee must jointly establish minimum certification standards for officers investigating deaths of domestic violence survivors.
Training topics include:
- Identification and detection of staged crime scenes.
- Engaging a multidisciplinary team in deaths following a history of domestic violence.
- Recognizing indicators of domestic homicide in suspicious death cases.

Definition and scope of suspicious death (Chapter 209A)

Adds a formal definition of “suspicious death case,” requiring at least three of several factors, such as premature death, appearance of death by suicide or accident, death in the home, body found by a partner, history of domestic violence with coercive control, last person known to see the decedent, control of the death scene by the abuser, or evidence of scene tampering.

Investigation procedures and family supports

In suspicious death cases, law enforcement must:
- Ensure investigators meet certification standards.
- Interview family or household members and close friends with relevant information on the domestic violence history.
- Request a complete autopsy.
- Provide domestic violence survivor services to family or close friends who request them.
If a suspicious death is not ruled a homicide and the case is closed, families or close friends may request:
- Copies of non-exempt investigation records.
- An autopsy and second opinion from a board-certified forensic pathologist, while preserving chain of custody.

Effective date

General effective date: January 1, 2027.
Provisions related to suspicious-death investigations apply to cases opened or arising after July 1, 2027.

Affected parties

Law enforcement agencies and officers (training and certification).
Domestic violence survivors and their families, household members, and close friends.
Forensic pathologists and medical examiners.
Public safety and domestic violence services organizations.

Legislative trajectory

Introduced in the Senate on September 9, 2025.
Referred to the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee; governance actions include suspension of certain rules and scheduling for committee consideration.
House concurrence achieved on November 20, 2025.
Related companion bills exist (e.g., HR 5064, HR 1768).

Related context

This bill addresses concerns about potential staged suicides and emphasizes safeguarding survivors through trained responders, multidisciplinary collaboration, and clearer rights for families in investigations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.