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 21 of chapter 119 of the general laws, as so appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended, in line 1, by striking out the word “51H” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- 51I SECTION 2. Chapter 119 of the general laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:- Section 51I. There is a rebuttal presumption that neglect does not include a failure of a victim of domestic violence to: (a) Prevent a child from witnessing the domestic violence; (b) Leave the home in which the alleged perpetrator resides; (c) End a relationship with the alleged perpetrator; (d) Report the domestic violence to law enforcement or the department of children and families; (e) Seek an abuse prevention order under Chapter 209A; and (f) Seek a harassment prevention order under Chapter 258E.
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