Signed by Governor Charlie Baker

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that amends various police accountability and reform laws.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (POST) to (Sec. 3.28):

• Determine whether an applicant has met the standards for certification;

• Establish minimum standards for internal agency review of complaints of officer-involved injuries or deaths and recommends to the commission retraining, suspending or revoking officer certification to ensure consistency across agencies;

• Establish a physical and psychological fitness evaluation to ensure officers are able to perform essential job duties; and

• Identify patterns of unprofessional police conduct.

• Specifies that the POST commission shall have 9 members, consisting of the following, including (Sec. 3.28):

• 3 member appointed by the governor;

• 3 members appointed by law enforcement agencies;

• A retired police chief;

• A retired justice of a superior court; and

• A social worker appointed from a list of 5 nominees

• Requires there to be a permanent commission on the status of Afican Americans that does the following (Sec. 72):

• Each member will serve a term of three years and until a successor is appointed; 

• The commission shall be a resource to the commonwealth on issues affecting African americans and ensure that laws and policies are equitably beneficial for African Americans; and

• Give an annual report with results of its findings and activities from the preceding year to the governor.

• Prohibits law enforcement officers, with the exception of preventing imminent harm to a person, to use the following types of physical force when pursuing a person (Sec. 14):

• Can not use deadly force upon a person;

• Can not use the chokehold form; and

• Shall not discharge any firearm into or at fleeing motor vehicles.

• Requires any officer present and observing another officer using physical force mentioned above, to intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force (Sec. 15). 

• Prohibits any public agency to acquire, possess, access, or use any biometric system (Sec. 220). 

• Authorizes public agencies to have access to the following (Sec. 26):

• Personal electronic devices that use facial recognition technology for the sole purpose of user authentication;

• Automated video or image redaction software that does not have capability of performing facial recognition or other biometric recognition; or

• Evidence related to investigation of a crime from a biometric surveillance system as long as evidence was not knowingly solicited or obtained with the assistance of a public agency or official. 

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with house amendments and pass a bill that amends various police accountability and reform laws.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (POST) to (Sec. 3.28):

• Determine whether an applicant has met the standards for certification;

• Establish minimum standards for internal agency review of complaints of officer-involved injuries or deaths and recommends to the commission retraining, suspending or revoking officer certification to ensure consistency across agencies;

• Establish a physical and psychological fitness evaluation to ensure officers are able to perform essential job duties; and

• Identify patterns of unprofessional police conduct.

• Specifies that the POST commission shall have 9 members, consisting of the following, including (Sec. 3.28):

• 3 member appointed by the governor;

• 3 members appointed by law enforcement agencies;

• A retired police chief;

• A retired justice of a superior court; and

• A social worker appointed from a list of 5 nominees

• Requires there to be a permanent commission on the status of Afican Americans that does the following (Sec. 72):

• Each member will serve a term of three years and until a successor is appointed; 

• The commission shall be a resource to the commonwealth on issues affecting African americans and ensure that laws and policies are equitably beneficial for African Americans; and

• Give an annual report with results of its findings and activities from the preceding year to the governor.

• Prohibits law enforcement officers, with the exception of preventing imminent harm to a person, to use the following types of physical force when pursuing a person (Sec. 14):

• Can not use deadly force upon a person;

• Can not use the chokehold form; and

• Shall not discharge any firearm into or at fleeing motor vehicles.

• Requires any officer present and observing another officer using physical force mentioned above, to intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force (Sec. 15). 

• Prohibits any public agency to acquire, possess, access, or use any biometric system (Sec. 220). 

• Authorizes public agencies to have access to the following (Sec. 26):

• Personal electronic devices that use facial recognition technology for the sole purpose of user authentication;

• Automated video or image redaction software that does not have capability of performing facial recognition or other biometric recognition; or

• Evidence related to investigation of a crime from a biometric surveillance system as long as evidence was not knowingly solicited or obtained with the assistance of a public agency or official. 

Full Bill Text

Highlights:

• Requires there to be a permanent commission on the status of Afican Americans that does the following:

• Each member will serve a term of three years and until a successor is appointed; 

• The commission shall be a resource to the commonwealth on issues affecting African americans and ensure that laws and policies are equitably beneficial for African Americans; and

• Give an annual report with results of its findings and activities from the preceding year to the governor (Sec 72).

• Prohibits law enforcement officers, with the exception of preventing imminent harm to a person, to use the following types of physical force when pursuing a person:

• Can not use deadly force upon a person;

• Can not use the chokehold form; and

• Shall not discharge any firearm into or at fleeing motor vehicles (Sec 14).

• Requires any officer present and observing another officer using physical force mentioned above, to intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force (Sec 15). 

• Prohibits any public agency to acquire, possess, access, or use any biometric system (Sec 220). 

• Authorizes public agencies to have access to the following:

• Acquire and possess personal electronic devices that use facial recognition technology for the sole purpose of user authentication;

• Acquire, possess and use of automate video or image redaction software that does not have capability of performing facial recognition or other biometric recognition; or

• Receive evidence related to investigation of a crime from a biometric surveillance system as long as evidence was not knowingly solicited or obtained with the assistance of a public agency or official (Sec 26). 

Highlights:

• Requires there to be a permanent commission on the status of Afican Americans that does the following:

• Each member will serve a term of three years and until a successor is appointed; 

• The commission shall be a resource to the commonwealth on issues affecting African americans and ensure that laws and policies are equitably beneficial for African Americans; and

• Give an annual report with results of its findings and activities from the preceding year to the governor (Sec 72).

• Prohibits law enforcement officers, with the exception of preventing imminent harm to a person, to use the following types of physical force when pursuing a person:

• Can not use deadly force upon a person;

• Can not use the chokehold form; and

• Shall not discharge any firearm into or at fleeing motor vehicles (Sec 14).

• Requires any officer present and observing another officer using physical force mentioned above, to intervene to prevent the use of unreasonable force (Sec 15). 

• Prohibits any public agency to acquire, possess, access, or use any biometric system (Sec 220). 

• Authorizes public agencies to have access to the following:

• Acquire and possess personal electronic devices that use facial recognition technology for the sole purpose of user authentication;

• Acquire, possess and use of automate video or image redaction software that does not have capability of performing facial recognition or other biometric recognition; or

• Receive evidence related to investigation of a crime from a biometric surveillance system as long as evidence was not knowingly solicited or obtained with the assistance of a public agency or official (Sec 26).