Be it
enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Chapter 265 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
section 43 the following section:
Section 43A. (a) Whoever willfully and maliciously engages in a
knowing pattern of conduct or series of acts over a period of time
directed at a specific person, which seriously alarms that person and
would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional
distress, shall be guilty of the crime of criminal harassment and
shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not
more than two and one-half years or by a fine of not more than $1,000,
or by both such fine and imprisonment. Such conduct or acts described
in this paragraph shall include, but not limited to, conduct or acts
conducted by mail or by use of a telephonic or telecommunication
device including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet
communications or facsimile communications.
(b) Whoever, after having been convicted of the crime
of criminal harassment, commits a second or subsequent such crime, or
whoever commits the crime of criminal harassment having previously
been convicted of a violation of section 43, shall be punished by
imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than two an
one-half years or by imprisonment in the state prison for not more
than ten years.
Approved August 1, 2000
~With the insight and efforts of Senator Pamela P. Resor and her
office staff, our family was honored to support this bill into law and
have it called "Sandy's Law" in memory of our sister Sandra Berfield.
We extend our heartfelt thanks!
