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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 890 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1721
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Edward R. Philips
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the health of public safety officers.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Edward R. Philips8th Norfolk1/11/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 890 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1721
By Representative Philips of Sharon, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1721) of
Edward R. Philips relative to the health of public safety officers exposed to hypodermic syringes
or hypodermic needles. The Judiciary.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1835 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to the health of public safety officers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1: Chapter 263 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is
2hereby amended by adding after section 1A the following new section:
3 Section 1B. Blood Testing
4 Anyone under arrest shall be subject to a blood test, provided that one or more public
5safety personnel including but not limited to police officers, fire fighters or emergency medical
6technicians (EMT) were or are suspected to have been exposed to potential blood-borne
7pathogens. Exposure incidents include, but are not limited to, being stuck by a hypodermic
8syringe, being stuck by hypodermic needle, or being bitten. The arrested individual shall be
9tested immediately after arrest, and three months later, if the first test proved negative. The name 2 of 2
10of the tested person shall be subject to a confidentiality agreement with the police safety
11personnel who receives the result of the test, and the Department of Public Health shall maintain
12a record of the test results to provide care to anyone infected.