By Representative Owens of Watertown, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1927) of Steven Owens, Sally P. Kerans and William C. Galvin relative to exonerating certain individuals accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts. The Judiciary.
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Date
Branch
Action
2/26/2026
House
2/26/2026 HouseAccompanied a new draft, see H5154↗
11/26/2025
Joint
11/26/2025 JointHearing rescheduled to 11/25/2025 from 10:00 AM-05:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual — Hearing updated to New End Time
11/25/2025
Joint
11/25/2025 JointHearing rescheduled to 11/25/2025 from 10:00 AM-04:00 PM in A-2 and Virtual — Hearing updated to New End Time
11/14/2025
Joint
11/14/2025 JointHearing scheduled for 11/25/2025 from 10:00 AM-05:00 PM in A-2
2/27/2025
Senate
2/27/2025 SenateSenate concurred
2/27/2025
House
2/27/2025 HouseReferred to the committee on The Judiciary
An Act exonerating certain individuals accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts
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6 section(s) · formatted for easier reading
▸SECTION 1
Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957, as amended by section 105 of chapter 126 of the acts of 2022, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the first time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover,”
▸SECTION 2
Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by striking the words “in the year sixteen hundred and ninety-two” in the first paragraph.
▸SECTION 3
Said chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “The above named”, the following words:- “and other”.
▸SECTION 4
Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph :- “Whereas, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, and Elizabeth Morse were indicted, tried, and found guilty of “Witchcraft”; and”
▸SECTION 5
Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the second paragraph :- “Whereas, numerous others were named, accused, arrested, questioned, imprisoned, arraigned, presented, indicted and/or tried for witchcraft or familiarity with the devil, though not found guilty; and”
▸SECTION 6
Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the second time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, Elizabeth Morse”.
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SECTION 1. Chapter 145 of the resolves of 1957, as amended by section 105 of chapter 126 of the acts of 2022, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the first time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover,”
SECTION 2. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by striking the words “in the year sixteen hundred and ninety-two” in the first paragraph.
SECTION 3. Said chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “The above named”, the following words:- “and other”.
SECTION 4. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph :- “Whereas, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, and Elizabeth Morse were indicted, tried, and found guilty of “Witchcraft”; and”
SECTION 5. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the second paragraph :- “Whereas, numerous others were named, accused, arrested, questioned, imprisoned, arraigned, presented, indicted and/or tried for witchcraft or familiarity with the devil, though not found guilty; and”
SECTION 6. Said Chapter 145 is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “Elizabeth Johnson, Jr.” the second time they appear, the following words:- , “Margaret Jones, Alice Lake, Elizabeth Kendall, Anne Hibbens, Goody Glover, Hugh Parsons, Eunice Cole, Elizabeth Morse”.