{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-271-51","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 271, § 51","heading":"Photos taken outside of first responder's official duties; penalties","body":"Section 51. (a) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-\n''First responder'', a law enforcement officer, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer firefighter, a paid, call, reserve or volunteer emergency medical technician or any other person whose usual and regular duties include rendering assistance at the scene of a crime, accident or other emergency.\n''Immediate family member'', a spouse, child, step-child, adopted child, sibling, step sibling, adopted sibling, parent, step-parent, legal guardian, adoptive parent, grandparent or grandchild.\n(b) No first responder who responds to or is otherwise present at the scene of a crime, accident or other emergency in the performance of the first responder's official duties shall take a photographic or digital image of a victim of a crime, accident or emergency unless the first responder takes the photographic or digital image: (i) in the performance of the first responder's official duties; or (ii) upon the consent of the victim or, if the victim is unable to consent, an immediate family member of the victim; provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to the use by a first responder of body-worn cameras or cameras mounted on a first responder's vehicle.\n(c) No first responder shall, other than in the performance of the first responder's official duties, transmit, disseminate or otherwise make available to a third person a photographic or digital image of a victim of a crime, accident or emergency without the consent of the victim or, if the victim is unable to consent, an immediate family member of the victim; provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to the use by a first responder of body-worn cameras or cameras mounted on a first responder's vehicle.\n(d) A first responder who knowingly violates subsection (b) or (c) shall be punished by a fine of not more than $2,000, by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or by both such fine and imprisonment.","path":["Part IV","Title I","Chapter 271"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter271/Section51","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:25:16Z","sha256":"607efca16e29c827d085103a05d30bbc2ec9cb9f0912b526886f2e8385c3a56b","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-271-50","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-271a-1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}