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S 1417

Relates to the failure to produce records in response to a FOIL request; and criminalizes the failure to comply with the freedom of information law

2025 Regular Session Introduced by George Borrello and 6 co-sponsors

Establishes a time-limited commission to study heroin trafficking in Massachusetts and issue recommendations, draft legislation, and policing guidance by Dec 2026.

REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
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Bill Summary · S 1417

Summary — S.1417 (Massachusetts): Special Commission to Study Prevention of Heroin Trafficking

Important note: the bill metadata you provided contains conflicting titles and sponsor lists that appear unrelated to the bill text. This summary is based on the bill text filed as Senate No. 1417 (presented by Senator Patrick M. O’Connor, Jan. 17, 2025), which establishes a special commission to study heroin trafficking. It does not reflect the unrelated FOIL/criminalization language referenced elsewhere in the metadata.

Purpose

Create a time‑limited special commission to study how heroin is trafficked into and within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to develop recommendations — including draft legislation and policing recommendations — to prevent such trafficking.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a special commission charged with studying heroin trafficking into and within the Commonwealth and developing prevention recommendations.
  • Requires the commission to produce recommendations and draft legislative language where appropriate; policing recommendations are explicitly included.
  • Sets membership (see below) and establishes procedural deadlines for the commission’s first meeting and final report.

Membership

The commission consists of:
- Secretary of Health and Human Services (or designee)
- Three Governor appointees (must include: one police officer specializing in opiates; one stakeholder from a retail pharmacy company; one general citizen impacted by the opioid epidemic)
- Two members of the House of Representatives (one appointed by the Speaker; one by the House Minority Leader)
- Two members of the Senate (one appointed by the Senate President; one by the Senate Minority Leader)
- Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (or designee)

Timeline and deliverables

  • First meeting required no later than December 1, 2025.
  • Final recommendations, including any draft legislation, must be submitted to the clerks of the House and Senate and to the chairs of the joint committee on mental health and substance abuse by December 1, 2026.

Who is affected

  • State executive agencies involved in substance use prevention, treatment, and enforcement
  • Law enforcement (especially units handling opioid investigations)
  • Retail pharmacies and pharmaceutical stakeholders (due to inclusion on commission)
  • Communities and individuals impacted by the opioid/heroin epidemic
  • Legislature (receives recommendations and potential bill drafts)

Procedural status & related actions

  • Filed/presented Jan. 17, 2025 (Sen. Patrick M. O’Connor)
  • Referred to the committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery (per bill text)
  • Deadlines: first meeting by 12/1/2025; report due 12/1/2026

Potential impact

The commission’s report could shape future legislative and policing reforms aimed at reducing supply and distribution of heroin in Massachusetts. Because the bill only creates a study commission (not immediate regulatory or criminal changes), any substantive change will depend on subsequent legislation or executive action based on the commission’s recommendations.

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

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