SENATE, No. 1050

By Mr. Tisei, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1050) of Richard R. Tisei for legislation relative to abuse prevention. The Judiciary

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

In the Year Two Thousand and Five.

AN ACT RELATIVE TO ABUSE PREVENTION

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.

Section 6 of Chapter 209A of the Massachusetts General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “sixty-five” in line 77 the following new paragraph:-

(d) 2 or more persons have committed an offense listed in clauses (a) to (c), inclusive, or if 2 or more persons make complaints to the officer, the officer shall attempt to determine who was the primary aggressor and the preferred response is arrest of the primary aggressor and not the arrest of the person who acted in a reasonable manner to protect or defend himself or another family or household member from abuse.