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S 1270

Requires high schools to carry and have a trained employee to administer opioid antagonists

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Joe Addabbo and 4 co-sponsors

Criminalizes tampering with electronic monitoring and pretrial devices, expands dangerousness-based pretrial detention with faster hearings, and requires victim notice before bail.

REFERRED TO EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · S 1270

Summary — S 1270 (2025)

Note: the bill text provided addresses pretrial detention, tampering with electronic monitoring, and victim notification. This differs from the initial short title (“Requires high schools to carry and have a trained employee to administer opioid antagonists”). There appear to be inconsistencies in sponsor and committee metadata in the materials you provided. Recommend verifying the official bill docket on the legislature’s website. The summary below follows the bill text as submitted.

Purpose / Intent

S 1270 seeks to strengthen public safety by (1) creating a criminal penalty for tampering with electronic monitoring and other pretrial compliance devices, (2) expanding and clarifying when the Commonwealth may seek pretrial detention based on dangerousness, (3) imposing scheduling and speedy‑trial timing rules for dangerousness hearings, and (4) requiring pre‑release notice to identified victims before a defendant is admitted to bail.

Key Provisions

  • New criminal offense (Chapter 268, inserted Section 13F):

    • Prohibits unlawful removal, destruction, damage, or interference with geolocation monitoring devices, breath‑testing instruments, or other mechanisms used to facilitate recognizance or compliance with pretrial release, probation, or parole.
    • Penalties: up to 10 years in state prison or up to 2.5 years in a house of correction.
    • A prior conviction under this section is prima facie evidence that conditions of release will not reasonably assure presence in certain post‑arraignment proceedings.

  • Expansion of offenses triggering Commonwealth motion for pretrial detention (amendment to Chapter 276, Section 58A(1)):

    • Lists numerous offenses (violent felonies, burglary, arson, sexual offenses against children, certain domestic‑abuse and public‑safety offenses, certain motor vehicle/drunk driving recidivism, serious drug offenses, threats to kill/rape/seriously injure, and conspiracies/solicitations thereof) for which the Commonwealth may move for detention on dangerousness grounds.

  • Timing, hearing, and speedy‑trial provisions (amendments to Section 58A subsections (3) and (4)):

    • A person detained under this subsection shall be detained until disposition, subject to right to a speedy trial and compliance with Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 36(b); the case is to be given priority per Rule 36(a)(1).
    • If the Commonwealth moves for a dangerousness hearing at arraignment, the hearing shall be held immediately at the person’s first court appearance unless a continuance is sought.
    • Continuance limits: defendant’s continuance (except for good cause) ≤ 7 days; Commonwealth’s continuance ≤ 3 business days.
    • If the Commonwealth files the motion after arraignment, the hearing must occur as soon as possible within the same timeframes.

  • Victim‑notice before bail (new Section 58C in Chapter 276):

    • No person 18+ charged with abuse (chapter 209A), certain 265 offenses, or any enumerated offense in Section 58A involving an identified victim shall be admitted to bail before the alleged victim is notified of imminent release.
    • Exception: person shall not be held more than 6 hours solely to permit notice.
    • Responsibility for notice: police (if released from police custody), the Commonwealth (if released from courthouse), or jail superintendent (if released from jail/correctional facility). Notice must be provided promptly.

Who is Affected

  • Defendants charged with the enumerated offenses (greater likelihood of pretrial detention; new tampering offense exposure).
  • Victims of listed offenses (guaranteed pre‑release notification).
  • Courts (obligated to prioritize and schedule hearings quickly), prosecutors (expanded grounds and timing obligations), law enforcement and correctional institutions (responsible for victim notification), and pretrial services providers.
  • Electronic monitoring vendors and supervision programs (increased legal protection; potential enforcement activity).

Procedural / Timeline Notes

  • Introduced: April 3, 2025. Referred to committees (Judiciary and/or Education in the provided metadata — verify official referral).
  • Hearings listed for September 9, 2025 (virtual and in person, per the provided docket).
  • Because the bill adds criminal penalties and alters pretrial procedures, enactment would require implementing adjustments by courts, prosecutors, law enforcement, and detention facilities.

Potential Impacts / Considerations

  • Likely increase in pretrial detention for the enumerated offenses and faster scheduling of dangerousness hearings.
  • Stronger deterrent against tampering with monitoring equipment; may increase prosecutions and sentence exposure.
  • Administrative burdens: expedited hearings, victim‑notification logistics, and coordination across agencies.
  • Civil‑liberty considerations: expanded detention on dangerousness grounds may raise due‑process and fairness questions that could be litigated.

For accuracy, verify sponsor, official bill title, committee referrals, and final enacted text on the Massachusetts Legislature’s official docket.

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

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