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Mass. General Laws c.272

Crimes against chastity, morality, decency and good order

This page links to an unofficial version of each section of G.L. c. 272. Please note that sections that appear missing have been either reserved for future use or repealed.

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§ 1 Enticing away person under 16 for marriage 
§ 2 Enticing away person for prostitution or sexual intercourse 
§ 3 Drugging persons for sexual intercourse 
§ 4 Inducing person under 18 to have sexual intercourse 
§ 4A Inducing minor into prostitution 
§ 4B Living off or sharing earnings of minor prostitute 
§ 6 Owner of place inducing or suffering person to resort in such place for sexual intercourse 
§ 7 Support from, or sharing, earnings of prostitute 
§ 8 Soliciting for prostitute 
§ 9 Oath and warrant to enter place for prostitution; detention of person in control and prostitute; recognizance to appear as witness 
§ 10 Arrest without warrant 
§ 11 Corroboration of one witness; limitations 
§ 12 Procuring person to practice, or enter a place for, prostitution; employment office procuring person 
§ 13 Detaining, or drugging to detain, person in place for prostitution 
§ 15 Polygamy 
§ 16 Open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior 
§ 17 Incestuous marriage or sexual activities 
§ 21A Furnishing drugs, articles or information for prevention of pregnancy or conception 

Amended by St.2022, c.127, § 37, effective July 29, 2022

§ 21B Privately controlled hospital or health facility; abortion or sterilization procedures; contraceptive devices and family planning services 

Added by St.1973, c. 521, § 2

§ 22 Concealment of death of child born out of wedlock 
§ 23 Joinder of charges of murder and offense under Sec. 22 
§ 24 Keeping house of ill fame 
§ 25 Obstructing view of restaurant or tavern patrons; barricaded entrances 
§ 26 Resorting to restaurants or taverns for immoral purposes 
§ 27 Record of convictions under Sec. 25 or Sec. 26 sent to licensing officers 
§ 28 Matter harmful to minors, dissemination; possession; defenses 
§ 28C Information or petition against obscene books; order of notice to show cause; notice of order; interlocutory adjudication; defense 
§ 28D Answer to notice; right to jury trial 
§ 28E Order of default; adjudication 
§ 28F Hearing; evidence; adjudication 
§ 28G Objection that mere judgment sought and no relief claimed on issue of knowledge 
§ 28H Proceeding under Sec. 28C as evidence in trial under Sec. 29; presumptions as to knowledge 
§ 28I Certain procedures as condition precedent to institution of proceedings for dissemination of obscene books 
§ 29 Dissemination or possession of obscene matter; punishment; defense 
§ 29A Posing or exhibiting child in state of nudity or sexual conduct; punishment 
§ 29B Dissemination of visual material of child in state of nudity or sexual conduct; punishment 
§ 29C Knowing purchase or possession of visual material of child depicted in sexual conduct; punishment 
§ 29D Dissemination or possession of non-consensual explicit visual material by a minor; punishment 

Added by St. 2024, c. 118, § 7, effective September 18, 2024

§ 30 Injunctive relief against dissemination of obscene matter; jurisdiction; procedures; appeal 
§ 30D Dissemination of visual material of child in state of nudity or sexual conduct; injunction; jurisdiction 
§ 31 Definitions 
§ 32 Motion picture theater managers or operators; applicability of Secs. 28, 29 and 29A 
§ 33 Exhibition of deformities 
§ 34 Crime against nature 
§ 35 Unnatural and lascivious acts 
§ 35A Unnatural and lascivious acts with child under 16 
§ 36 Blasphemy 
§ 36A Sporting events; penalty for abuse of participants and officials 
§ 38 Disturbance of assembly for worship 
§ 39 Selling goods and provisions, caring for horses, illegal gaming, horse racing or exhibits near camp meetings 
§ 40 Disturbance of assemblies; conduct of students on school grounds or in the course of school-related events 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 159, effective April 13, 2018

§ 40A Alcoholic beverages; gift, sale, delivery or possession on public school premises 
§ 41 Disturbance of libraries 
§ 42 Disturbance of funerals 
§ 42A Disturbance of funeral services 
§ 42B Disturbance of military funeral service; penalty 
§ 43 Disorderliness in public conveyances; disturbance of travelers 
§ 43A Smoking or carrying open flame or lighted match, pipe or tobacco product in public conveyances and transportation terminals  

Amended by St.2018, c. 157, § 14, effective December 31, 2018

§ 53 Penalty for certain offenses 

Amended by St.2018, c. 69, § 160, effective April 13, 2018

§ 53A Engaging in sexual conduct for a fee; engaging in sexual conduct with child under age 18 for a fee; penalties 
§ 54 Apprehension for certain offences, without warrant; custody 
§ 56 Subsequent offenses; breach of recognizance on appeal 
§ 57 Discharge upon recognizance; payment of expenses of prosecution 
§ 58 Employing or permitting employment of minor under 15 to beg 
§ 59 Ordinances or regulations relating to streets, reservations, or parkways; alcoholic beverages; profanity; arrest without warrant 
§ 60 Disposal of rubbish, etc.; refusal to remove; arrest without warrant 
§ 61 Conviction after discharge from sentence under Sec. 53 
§ 62 Third conviction of being a common nightwalker 
§ 63 Tramps; begging or riding freight trains as prima facie evidence 
§ 64 Tramps; punishment; entering buildings; injuries to or threats against persons or property; carrying weapons 
§ 65 Arrest of tramps without warrant; making complaint 
§ 66 Vagrants 
§ 67 Vagrants; arrest without warrant; taking before court; complaint 
§ 68 Vagabonds 
§ 69 Vagabonds; arrest without warrant; taking before court; complaint 
§ 70 Taking dead body on process or execution 
§ 71 Disinterring bodies 
§ 72 Buying, selling or possessing dead bodies 
§ 73 Tombs, graves, memorials, trees, plants; injuring, removing 
§ 73A Removal of gravestones and other memorials for repair or reproduction 
§ 73B Sale of or attempt to sell stolen commemorative grave marker; receipt, retention or disposal of stolen commemorative grave marker 
§ 74 Desecrating place of burial; use and occupation as evidence of title 
§ 75 Removal of flowers, flags or memorial tokens from burial lot 
§ 76 Ways, railroads, canals or public easements through burial grounds 
§ 77 Cruelty to animals 

Amended by St.2018, c. 219, § 22, effective November 7, 2018

§ 77A Willfully injuring police dogs and horses 
§ 77B Exhibition of wild animals 
§ 77C Sexual contact with animal 

Added by St.2018, c. 219, § 23, effective November 7, 2018

§ 78 Selling, leading, or using horses not fit for work; forfeiture of auctioneer's license 
§ 78A Sale of foals under five months; penalty 
§ 79 Violations by business entities of statutes relating to the treatment, care and protection of animals 

Amended by St.2018, c. 219, § 24, effective November 7, 2018

§ 79A Cutting bones or muscles to dock or set tail of horse; wound as evidence 
§ 79B Exhibiting horse with tail cut under Sec. 79A; affidavit as to cutting in state where not prohibited; inspection 
§ 80 1/2 Devocalization of dogs or cats; definitions; penalty; exceptions; records 
§ 80A Cropping or cutting off ear of dog; wound as prima facie evidence 
§ 80B Exhibiting dogs with ears cropped or cut off 
§ 80C Taking cat, dog or bird to exhibit it, subject it to experimentation or mutilation, or to sell it for such purposes; application of law 
§ 80D Living rabbits, baby chickens, ducklings or other fowl; sale, barter or gift 
§ 80E Use of decompression chambers for putting animals to death 
§ 80E 1/2 Putting animal to death by drowning 

Added by St.2018, c. 219, § 25, effective November 7, 2018

§ 80F Giving away live animals as prize or award 
§ 80G Experiments on vertebrates; vivisection, dissection of animals; care 
§ 80H Motor vehicles; striking, injuring or killing dogs or cats 

Amended by St.2018, c. 219, § 26, effective November 7, 2018

§ 80I Leasing or renting dogs; penalties 
§ 81 Rest, water and feed for transported animals; lien; liability for detention 
§ 82 Arrest without warrant for violation of Sec. 77 or 81; notice; care of animals; lien 
§ 83 Complaint, warrant and search relative to cruelty to animals 
§ 84 Prosecutions under Secs. 77 to 81 
§ 85A Injuring, taking away or harboring domesticated animals or birds; removal of dog license tag, collar or harness; imitation tag 
§ 85B Assistance animals stolen or attacked; actions for economic and non-economic damages 
§ 86 Stabling horses or mules on second or higher floors, in places other than cities 
§ 86A tabling horses and mules above first floor; exceeding six; fire exits 
§ 86B Stabling horses or mules exceeding 15 
§ 86C Smoking in buildings used for stabling horses or mules 
§ 86D Pails of water and sand in buildings used for stables 
§ 86E Entry upon premises to enforce Secs. 86A to 86D; orders 
§ 86F Violation of Secs. 86 to 86D; refusal or neglect to comply with Sec. 86E orders 
§ 87 Keeping or using birds to be shot at; shooting them; permitting premises to be used for shooting 
§ 88 Complaints and warrants relative to fighting animals; searches; arrests 
§ 89 Exhibition place of fighting animals; entry without warrant; arrests; seizure of animals 
§ 90 Custody of arrested persons; time limitation 
§ 91 Court proceedings for animal fighting 

Amended by St.2018, c. 219, §§ 27, 28, effective November 7, 2018

§ 92 Appeal; recognizance; custody and disposition of animals 
§ 92A Advertisement, book, notice or sign relative to discrimination; definition of place of public accommodation, resort or amusement 
§ 93 Expenses of care and destruction of fighting animals 
§ 94 Owning, possessing or training fighting animals; establishing or promoting exhibition; loaning, selling or exporting fighting animals; owning or possessing animals for breeding fighting animals 
§ 95 Aiding or being present at exhibition of fighting animals 
§ 96 False notice of birth, marriage or death 
§ 97A Demands, notices or other documents resembling court process; complaint; order to discontinue 
§ 98 Discrimination in admission to, or treatment in, place of public accommodation; punishment; forfeiture; civil right 
§ 98A Physically handicapped persons with dog guides; public places or conveyances; charges or fares; penalties 
§ 98B Discrimination in employment on public works or in public relief or transitional assistance 
§ 98C Libel; groups of persons; defenses; punishment; prosecutions 
§ 99 Interception of wire and oral communications 
§ 99A Jury deliberations; overhearing by use of devices 
§ 104 Security for seizure and impoundment of animals relating to cruelty to animals or animal fighting 

Amended by St.2018, c. 219, § 29, effective November 7, 2018

§ 105 Photographing, videotaping or electronically surveilling partially nude or nude person or the sexual or other intimate parts of a person around the person's clothing; exceptions; punishment 
§ 106 Stolen valor; penalty 
§ 107 Transmission of certain fines to state treasurer for deposit into Victims of Human Trafficking Trust Fund 

Added by St.2018, c. 69, § 161, effective July 12, 2018

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