A police officer would be able to issue a ticket instead of criminal charges for offenses like disorderly conduct, public drinking and littering under a bill endorsed last month by a legislative committee.
According to the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Michael Moore, state law already allows for the decriminalization of such offenses but only once a defendant appears in court. Moore’s bill would give police the option to issue a civil citation on eligible charges, allowing the offender to avoid the court process entirely by paying their fine.
Moore said the bill would let someone who committed a minor offense avoid the long-term consequences of having a criminal record, while also cutting court costs and providing flexibility for police departments with tight finances.
“If you think about it, similar to every other public agency, they have a limited budget, limited resources,” he told the News Service. “This allows the officer now on the street, instead of having to follow up and go to court, they now issue them a ticket, similar to a speeding ticket.”
No violent crimes would be eligible for citations, according to Moore, who said the bill focuses on “minor misdemeanors” and offenses governed by local ordinances, like trespassing.
Moore has filed the bill repeatedly in the past, but it has never made it to the floor for a vote. This session, the effort could be buoyed by a broad interest in pursuing criminal justice reform, the Millbury Democrat said.
Senate leaders have pegged criminal justice policy as a priority for this fall, and advocates have been urging comprehensive reform that focuses on keeping people out of jails and prisons.
Moore’s bill was one of several that senators highlighted at a February press conference laying out their criminal justice reform agenda, and is the first of that group to emerge successfully from the committee vetting process.
The bill was given a favorable report by the Municipalities and Regional Government Committee, which Moore co-chairs, on July 13 and referred to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
A version of the bill died in Senate Ways and Means last session. The Municipalities Committee killed the bill in 2012 and 2014 by including it in an order for further study.