An Act relative to emerging adult life sentences for first-degree murder
Generates a plain-language summary of the bill text and history.
| Date | Branch | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 3/26/2026 | House | Accompanied a study order, see H5281↗ (under House Rule 27) |
| — | House | Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order |
| 11/18/2025 | Joint | Hearing rescheduled to 11/18/2025 from 01:00 PM-08:00 PM in A-1 and Virtual — Hearing updated to New End Time |
| 11/7/2025 | Joint | Hearing scheduled for 11/18/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1 |
| 2/27/2025 | Senate | Senate concurred |
| 2/27/2025 | House | Referred to the committee on The Judiciary |
No additional cosponsors.
| Committee | Recommendation | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| J19 | Accompanied | — |
of chapter 279 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting this third paragraph, after the second paragraph, the following paragraph: - In the case of a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in the first degree committed by a person on or after the person's eighteenth birthday and before the person's twenty-first birthday, the court shall fix a minimum term of not less than 30 years nor more than 60 years; provided, however, that in the case of a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in the first degree with extreme atrocity or cruelty committed by a person on or after the person's eighteenth birthday and before the person's twenty-first birthday, the court shall fix a minimum term of 40 years nor more than 60 years; and provided further, that in the case of a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in the first degree with deliberately premeditated malice aforethought committed by a person on or after the person's eighteenth birthday and before the person's twenty-first birthday, the court shall fix a minimum term of not less than 35 years nor more than 60 years.
Section 24 of chapter 279 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting this third paragraph, after the second paragraph, the following paragraph: - In the case of a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in the first degree committed by a person on or after the person's eighteenth birthday and before the person's twenty-first birthday, the court shall fix a minimum term of not less than 30 years nor more than 60 years; provided, however, that in the case of a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in the first degree with extreme atrocity or cruelty committed by a person on or after the person's eighteenth birthday and before the person's twenty-first birthday, the court shall fix a minimum term of 40 years nor more than 60 years; and provided further, that in the case of a sentence of life imprisonment for murder in the first degree with deliberately premeditated malice aforethought committed by a person on or after the person's eighteenth birthday and before the person's twenty-first birthday, the court shall fix a minimum term of not less than 35 years nor more than 60 years.