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. Chapter 119 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 29D the following section:- Section 29E. In court proceedings related to the removal of a child from their home for neglect, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that neglect does not include a failure of a victim of domestic violence to: (i) prevent a child from witnessing the domestic violence; (ii) leave the home in which the alleged perpetrator resides; (iii) end a relationship with the alleged perpetrator; (iv) report the domestic violence to law enforcement or the department; or (v) seek an order of protection against the alleged perpetrator. For the purposes of this section, “domestic violence” shall include coercive control, as defined in section 1 of chapter 209A. SECTION 2. Said chapter 119 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 37 the following section:- Section 37A. (a) There shall be a rebuttable presumption in all department proceedings that neglect of a child does not include a failure of a victim of domestic violence to: (i) prevent a child from witnessing the domestic violence; (ii) leave the home in which the alleged perpetrator resides; (iii) end a relationship with the alleged perpetrator; (iv) report the domestic violence to law enforcement or the department; or (v) seek an order of protection against the alleged perpetrator. For the purposes of this section, “domestic violence” shall include coercive control, as defined in section 1 of chapter 209A. (b) All employees of the department shall have mandatory training on issues related to domestic violence.
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