Bill
S 2159
Creates a Massachusetts Office of Restorative Justice to fund, standardize, and expand victim-centered restorative practices, with training and an advisory board.
Status & procedural notes
- Senate docket/filed: 1/16/2025 (Senate Docket No. 1740).
- Introduced (Senate): 6/25/2025; read twice and referred to Committee on the Judiciary. A hearing is scheduled for 10/14/2025 (1:00–5:00 PM, B‑2).
- The bill would add a new Section 63 to Chapter 7 of the Massachusetts General Laws.
- Note: the supplied metadata contains inconsistencies (alternate titles, duplicate referrals, and mixed sponsor data). This summary focuses on the bill text filed as S.D. 1740 / S.2159 establishing an Office of Restorative Justice.
Purpose and intent
- Establish a centralized, state‑level Office of Restorative Justice (within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance) to build restorative justice capacity, administer funding, promote best practices, and assist public and community entities in designing and expanding restorative justice initiatives across the Commonwealth.
Key provisions
- Establishment and placement: Creates the Office of Restorative Justice in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (subject to appropriation).
- Director: Appointed by the Secretary of Administration and Finance; must have substantial training/experience in restorative justice, maintain impartiality, and devote full time to the office.
- Definitions & scope: “Restorative justice” uses the definition in G.L. c.276B §1 and includes victim‑offender conferences, family group conferences, circles, community conferences, and other victim‑centered practices. These may be used before, during, or after court involvement.
- Functions: The office may design/launch/fund programs; create standards/guidelines and training; provide education and technical assistance; act as a centralized resource repository; set grant, data collection, and program evaluation policies; and otherwise promote restorative practices.
- Advisory committee: Director must convene a statewide advisory committee (≤18 members) balanced equally between government (legislative, judicial, executive, and related agencies) and non‑government community representatives (including indigenous communities, survivors, formerly incarcerated, community practitioners). Members are unpaid but may be reimbursed for expenses.
- Funding & contracting: Director may charge reasonable fees to public agencies, and accept federal, local, or private grants/gifts. Receipts are deposited in a separate account and may be expended without further appropriation for office operations and programs. The office may contract with public or private entities.
- Reporting: Annual report on activities, income, and expenditures filed by December 31 each year with multiple executive, legislative, and judicial leaders/committees.
Who is affected
- State executive, legislative, and judicial branches; counties, cities, and towns; community‑based restorative justice providers; victims/survivors; people impacted by criminal and juvenile justice systems (including formerly incarcerated individuals); schools and other institutions seeking restorative practices.
Potential impacts
- Centralizes administrative and funding support for restorative justice, which may increase program consistency, training, and availability statewide.
- Could lead to expanded use of restorative practices as alternatives or complements to traditional court processes.
- Financial impact depends on appropriations, fees, and grants; the office’s power to expend received funds without further appropriation may accelerate program start‑up but will depend on incoming resources.
Limitations and next steps
- The office is subject to appropriation; program scale will depend on legislative funding and grants. The advisory committee is advisory only. Further legislative or regulatory action may be needed to operationalize standards, data collection, and program evaluation.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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