Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official source posted by the Massachusetts General Court, fetched 2026-07-15. Nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter 38 of the Massachusetts General Laws shall be amended by adding the following definition: “Abandoned Remains”- The remains or a dead body that no one has taken legal authority of the body for a period of 15 days. SECTION 2. Chapter 38 of the Massachusetts General Laws shall be amended by inserting after Section 16, the following new Section: Section 17. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the office of the chief medical officer shall accept for temporary storage abandoned remains, as defined in this chapter, of persons who have died of natural causes in facilities licensed by the department of public health under MGL Chapter 111 Section 71 or under MGL Chapter 111 Section 51 or other facilities upon written request of the appropriate facility administrator, in the case of abandonment, no designated next of kin, or written plan of disposition. The office may subsequently release the body to the department of transitional assistance as allowed by Section 13 of this Chapter.
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