2019 Massachusetts General Laws
Part IV - Crimes, Punishments and Proceedings in Criminal Cases
Title II - Proceedings in Criminal Cases
Chapter 276 - Search Warrants, Rewards, Fugitives From Justice, Arrest, Examination, Commitment and Bail. Probation Officers and Board of Probation
Section 87a - Conditions of Probation; Probation Fees
Section 87A. The conditions of probation imposed by a court upon a person pursuant to section eighty-seven of this chapter, section fifty-eight of chapter one hundred and nineteen or section one or section one A of chapter two hundred and seventy-nine, may include, but shall not be limited to, participation by said person in specified rehabilitative programs or performance by said person of specified community service work for a stated period of time. If the court requires as a condition of probation that the defendant reside in alcohol and drug free housing within the commonwealth, the judge issuing the order shall require the probation officer to refer the defendant only to alcohol and drug free housing certified under section 18A of chapter 17 and the probation officer shall require the defendant to reside in such certified housing in order to satisfy such condition. If accredited alcohol and drug free housing is not available, the judge issuing the order may permit the probation officer to refer the person placed on supervised probation to alcohol and substance free housing that is available and that, in the judge's discretion, appropriately supports the recovery goals of the person. If the court imposes as a condition of probation that the person reside in alcohol and drug free housing in another state, the judge issuing the order may permit the probation officer to refer the person to alcohol and drug free housing that, in the judge's discretion, appropriately supports the recovery goals of the person. No person placed on probation shall be found to have violated a condition of probation: (i) solely on the basis of possession or use of a controlled substance that has been lawfully dispensed pursuant to a valid prescription to that person by a health professional registered to prescribe a controlled substance pursuant to chapter 94C and acting within the lawful scope of the health professional's practice; or (ii) solely on the basis of possession or use of medical marijuana obtained in compliance with and in quantities consistent with applicable state regulations if that person received a written certification from a healthcare professional for the use of medical marijuana to treat a debilitating medical condition and the person possesses a valid medical marijuana registration card and if the quantity in the person's possession is not greater than the amount recommended in the healthcare professional's written certification. If a person is required to submit a DNA sample pursuant to chapter 22E, such submittal and compliance with chapter 22E shall be required as a condition of probation.
The court shall assess upon every person placed on supervised probation, including all persons placed on probation for offenses under section 24 of chapter 90, a monthly probation supervision fee, hereinafter referred to as ''probation fee'', in the amount of $60 per month. Said person shall pay said probation fee once each month during such time as said person remains on supervised probation. The court shall assess upon every person placed on administrative supervised probation a monthly administrative probation supervision fee, hereinafter referred to as ''administrative probation fee'', in the amount of $45 per month. Said person shall pay said administrative probation fee once each month during such time as said person remains on administrative supervised probation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, said fees shall not be assessed upon any person accused or convicted of a violation of section 1 or 15 of chapter 273, where compliance with an order of support for a spouse or minor child is a condition of probation.
The court shall not assess said monthly probation fee or said administrative probation fee upon any person placed on supervised probation or administrative supervised probation after release from prison or a house of correction for said person's first 6 months of such probation. Either or both of said fees shall be assessed after the first 6 months of such probation unless otherwise waived by the court pursuant to this section.
The court may waive payment of either or both of said fees if it determines after a hearing that such payment would impose a substantial financial hardship on the person, the person's immediate family or dependents. Following the hearing and upon a finding of hardship, the court may require any such person to perform unpaid community service work at a public or nonprofit agency or facility, monitored by the probation department, for not more than 4 hours per month in lieu of payment of a probation fee. A waiver shall be in effect only during the period of time that a person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.
The court may waive payment of either or both of said fees in whole or in part if said person is assessed payment of restitution. In such cases, said fees may be waived only to the extent and during the period that restitution is paid in an amount equivalent to said fee.
Said probation fee shall be collected by the several probation offices of the trial court and transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit into the General Fund. The state treasurer shall account for all such fees received and report said fees annually, itemized by court division, to the house and senate committees on ways and means.
The court shall also assess upon every person placed on supervised probation, including all persons placed on probation for offenses under section 24 of chapter 90, a monthly probationers' victim services surcharge, hereinafter referred to as ''victim services surcharge'', in the amount of $5 per month. Said person shall pay said victim services surcharge once each month during such time as said person remains on supervised probation. The court shall assess upon every person placed on administrative supervised probation a monthly administrative probationer's victim services surcharge, hereinafter referred to as ''administrative victim services surcharge'' in the amount of $5 per month.
Said person shall pay said administrative victim services surcharge once each month during such time as said person remains on administrative supervised probation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, said fees shall not be assessed upon any person accused or convicted of a violation of section 1 or 15 of chapter 273, where compliance with an order of support for a spouse or minor child is a condition of probation.
The court may waive payment of either or both of said fees if it has determined, after a hearing, that the payment would impose a substantial financial hardship on the person, the person's immediate family or dependents. A waiver shall be in effect only during the period of time that the person is unable to pay the monthly probation fee.
Said probation fee shall be collected by the several probation offices of the trial court and shall be transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit into the General Fund of the commonwealth. The state treasurer shall account for all such fees received and report said fees annually, itemized by court division, to the house and senate committees on ways and means.
Notwithstanding this section or any other general or special law to the contrary, no fee or surcharge required pursuant to this section shall be assessed upon any person placed on probation while under the age of 18.
