By Mrs. Poirier of North Attleborough, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1686) of Elizabeth A. Poirier and others relative to the issuance of permanent restraining orders upon complaints filed by victims of violent crimes and their families.  The Judiciary.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Elizabeth A. Poirier

Scott P. Brown

John D. Keenan

Denis E. Guyer

Cory Atkins

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

Barbara A. L'Italien

Christopher G. Fallon

James R. Miceli

Cleon H. Turner

Bruce E. Tarr

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act providing for restraining orders for victims of a crime and their family members.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1.  Chapter 209A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 3C the following section:--

Section3D.  For the purposes of this section, a “victim” shall be a person who suffers personal injury or death as the result of a crime.  A “family member of a victim” shall include the spouse, parent, grandparent, stepmother, stepfather, child, grandchild, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, adopted children of parent or spouse’s parents.  An “offender” shall be a person who commits a crime against a victim.

A victim or family member of a victim may file a complaint in the court requesting an order permanently restraining an offender from any contact with the victim or family member of a victim. Said proceedings shall be governed by the applicable provisions of section three except the relief shall be a permanent restraining order.