Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. The second paragraph of section 35 of chapter 123 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the third sentence, inserted by section 2 of chapter 643 of the acts of 1973, the following two sentences:- Upon presentation of such a petition, if there is reasonable grounds to believe that such person will not appear and that any further delay in the proceedings would present an immediate danger to the physical well-being of the respondent, said court may issue a warrant for the apprehension and appearance of such person before it. No arrest shall be made on such warrant unless the person may be presented immediately before a judge of the district court.

SECTION 2. The third paragraph of said section 35 of said chapter 123 is hereby amended by striking out the first sentence, as appearing in section 4 of chapter 888 of the acts of 1970, and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- If, after a hearing, the court based upon competent medical testimony finds that said person is an alcoholic and that there is a likelihood of serious harm as a result of his alcoholism, it may order such person to be committed for a period not to exceed thirty days.