BOSTON — At the State House Tuesday, lawmakers heard testimony on bills designed to get tough on offenders who cut off their GPS tracking devices.
“My abuser cut off his GPS,” Jo, a domestic violence survivor told Boston 25 News.
She asked that we hide her identity at the State House as she prepared to tell lawmakers that it is time to hold offenders accountable if they tamper with their GPS tracking devices.
Bills in the House and the Senate would make the act of cutting off a GPS tracking device an arrestable felony with jail time.
Jo says when her offender was eventually caught, he didn’t go to jail, instead he was fitted with a new GPS device.
“I felt it empowered a person who was already dangerous and there needs to be consequences for people put on a GPS,” Jo said.
State Senator Patrick O’Connor is sponsoring one of the bills.
If passed he says it would bring Massachusetts in line with other big states.
“States very similar to Massachusetts: NY, Illinois, California have all recognized this as a major deficiency in their criminal justice laws and they’ve made it a felony. And now it’s time for Massachusetts to do the same,” O’Connor said.
On the House side, Representative David Linsky says there is growing support for the measure.
“This legislation will close a gaping loophole in Massachusetts General Laws.”
Jo says her life has moved far beyond what happened to her. She’s now fighting for other victims.
“I just want to turn what happened to me into something positive,” Jo said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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