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Mass. General Laws c.272

Crimes against chastity, morality, decency and good order

This page links to the current, accurate version of each section of G.L. c.272.

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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 
§ 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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