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Bill

SD 1819

An Act relative to petit treason

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Sal DiDomenico

Massachusetts bill repeals obsolete petit treason statute criminalizing servant violence against masters, modernizing state criminal code by removing feudal-era offense.

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Bill Summary · SD 1819

Legislative bill overview

SD 1819 proposes to repeal Massachusetts's petit treason statute, which historically criminalized acts of violence or betrayal by servants against their masters. This is a technical legal reform aimed at removing an archaic common law offense from modern statutes that has virtually no contemporary application.

Why is this important

Petit treason is essentially a dead letter in modern American law—no successful prosecutions have occurred in decades—yet its presence on the books reflects outdated feudal social hierarchies incompatible with contemporary labor and employment law. Removing it modernizes the state's criminal code and eliminates a statute that could theoretically be misused or create legal confusion.

Potential points of contention

  • Symbolic vs. practical: Critics may argue this is legislative theater addressing a non-problem, while supporters view it as necessary modernization of discriminatory historical laws
  • Scope of servant relationships: Disagreement may exist over whether the statute meaningfully applies to modern employer-employee relationships or only historical domestic service arrangements
  • Related statutes: Questions may arise about whether other archaic common law offenses should simultaneously be reviewed and repealed

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

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