HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 4354
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 12, 2024.
The committee on the Judiciary, to whom were referred the petition
(accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1080) of Susan L. Moran and Susan
Williams Gifford for legislation to increase penalties for hit and runs with
recreational vehicles in the Commonwealth to be known as the James
Ward Act, and the petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1609) of
Kathleen R. LaNatra and others relative to increasing penalties for hit and
run with a recreational vehicle, reports recommending that the
accompanying bill (House, No. 4354) ought to pass.
For the committee,
MICHAEL S. DAY.
 FILED ON: 2/5/2024
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4354
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act increasing penalties for hit and runs with recreational vehicles in the Commonwealth to
be known as the James Ward Act.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 26B of chapter 90B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
2 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 17 -18, the words “shall be punished
3 by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000” and inserting in place thereof the following
4 words:- person, not resulting in the death of another person, shall be punished by imprisonment
5 in a jail or house of correction for not more than 1 year or by a fine of not less than $500 nor
6 more than $1,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
7 SECTION 2. Said section 26B of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
8 amended by inserting, after subsection (c), the following subsection:-
9 (d) Whoever operates a snow vehicle or a recreation vehicle and, without stopping and
10 making known theirs name, address and the registration number of his snow vehicle or recreation
11 vehicle, leaves the scene after knowingly colliding with or otherwise causing bodily injury to
12 another person shall, if the injuries result in the death of another person, be punished by
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13 imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not
14 more than $5,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment.
15 SECTION 3. Said section 26B of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
16 amended by striking out, in line 19, the word “(d)” and inserting in place thereof the following
17 word:- (e).
18 SECTION 4. Said section 26B of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
19 amended by striking out, in line 29, the word “(e)” and inserting in place thereof the following
20 word:- (f).
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 90B-26B