WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 1084

An Act promoting fairness in parole

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jamie Eldridge

Revises MA parole rules to speed and standardize custody after violations: clear warrant authority, 15-day preliminary hearings, 48-hour decisions, and detention factors.

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 1084

Summary — S.1084: "An Act Promoting Fairness in Parole"

Note: The packet you provided contains two unrelated texts labeled S.1084 (an Idaho water-rights bill and a Massachusetts parole bill). The summary below covers the Massachusetts bill titled "An Act promoting fairness in parole," which matches the title you supplied. If you also want a summary of the Idaho water-rights language, I can provide that separately.

Purpose / Intent

The bill revises Massachusetts parole procedures to (1) specify when parole officers or a parole-board member may issue a warrant for a parolee’s temporary custody, (2) set time limits and standards for preliminary evidentiary hearings, and (3) define factors a hearing officer must consider when deciding whether a parolee should remain in custody pending a final revocation hearing. The stated aim (per the bill title) is to promote fairness in parole by clarifying authority, timelines, and standards for detention after alleged parole violations.

Key provisions

  • Warrants for temporary custody

    • A parole officer, with consent of a parole supervisor or superior officer, may issue a warrant for temporary custody when there is probable cause of an alleged violation in the following categories:
    • Intentional unauthorized removal of a GPS monitoring device.
    • Contact with a victim connected to the parolee’s offense or the victim’s household member (chapter 209A definition).
    • Violation of an abuse prevention order (chapter 209A) or harassment prevention order (chapter 258E).
    • Making plans to imminently flee the Commonwealth.
    • For alleged violations not listed above, a parole officer (with supervisor consent) may request a single member of the parole board to issue a warrant; the single member may issue the warrant if they find probable cause.

  • Effect, withdrawal, and custody authority

    • The parole board may withdraw a warrant; withdrawal does not invalidate later warrants.
    • Time spent in custody from issuance until withdrawal counts as part of the original sentence.
    • A warrant is sufficient authority to detain the parolee in jails or other detention facilities.

  • Preliminary evidentiary hearing

    • A hearing officer must hold a preliminary evidentiary hearing within 15 days of placement in temporary custody.
    • The hearing officer decides whether a violation occurred by a preponderance of the evidence.
    • If the hearing officer finds a violation, they may order the parolee remain in custody pending the parole board’s final revocation hearing after considering:
    • Nature and seriousness of the violation;
    • Connection between the violation and the underlying offense;
    • Parolee’s prior criminal record;
    • Protection of the public and of victims/household members.
    • The hearing officer must issue a decision within 48 hours after the preliminary hearing.

  • Regulatory authority

    • Further rules governing detention may be adopted by the parole board.

Who is affected

  • Parolees in Massachusetts (subject to temporary custody and revocation proceedings)
  • Parole officers and their supervisors
  • Single members and the full Massachusetts Parole Board
  • Hearing officers and correctional jails/houses of correction
  • Victims and household members referenced in protective orders

Procedural / timeline highlights

  • Warrant issuance: immediate authority for specific alleged violations; other allegations require parole-board member approval.
  • Preliminary hearing: within 15 days of custody.
  • Decision deadline: within 48 hours after the preliminary hearing.
  • Time in custody during warrant period counts toward original sentence.

Potential impacts (practical effects)

  • Creates clearer, expedited process for detaining parolees alleged to commit specified serious violations (GPS tampering, victim contact, restraining-order violations, flight risk).
  • Standardizes and shortens timeframes for preliminary review (15 days / 48-hour decision), potentially reducing prolonged detention without adjudication.
  • Gives hearing officers explicit factors to weigh when deciding whether to hold a parolee pending final revocation, which may increase consistency but still allows discretion to detain.
  • May improve victim protection and public-safety responsiveness while formalizing procedural safeguards (probable cause/written decisions/timelines).

If you want, I can:
- Summarize the separate Idaho S.1084 (water-supply bank / forfeiture) included in the packet, or
- Produce a side-by-side comparison of this bill with current Massachusetts parole statutes (Chapter 127, §149A) to show exactly what text would be changed.

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

Sign in to ask a question.