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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1201 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2339
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
James K. Hawkins
_________________
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 reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter personal protective
equipment.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol1/18/2023Paul Jacques, Professional Fire
Fighters of Massachusetts
2 Center Plaza, Suite 4M, Boston,
MA.
1/18/2023Craig Hardy, Professional Fire
Fighters of Massachusetts
2 Center Plaza, Suite 4M, Boston,
MA.
1/18/2023Rich MacKinnon, Professional Fire
Fighters of Massachusetts
2 Center Plaza, Suite 4m, Boston, MA.1/18/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex1/27/2023Steven Ultrino33rd Middlesex1/27/2023Susannah M. Whipps2nd Franklin1/27/2023Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/27/2023Jessica Ann Giannino16th Suffolk1/27/2023Josh S. Cutler6th Plymouth1/27/2023Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable1/28/2023Carol A. Doherty3rd Bristol1/29/2023Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/29/2023Steven S. Howitt4th Bristol1/30/2023 2 of 2
Gerard J. Cassidy9th Plymouth1/30/2023Ryan M. Hamilton15th Essex1/30/2023William C. Galvin6th Norfolk1/31/2023Erika Uyterhoeven27th Middlesex2/1/2023Rodney M. Elliott16th Middlesex2/2/2023Paul McMurtry11th Norfolk2/2/2023Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk2/2/2023Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex2/2/2023Jon Santiago9th Suffolk2/6/2023Adrian C. Madaro1st Suffolk2/6/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023Marc R. PachecoThird Bristol and Plymouth2/8/2023Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/9/2023Margaret R. Scarsdale1st Middlesex2/9/2023Alyson M. Sullivan-Almeida7th Plymouth2/9/2023Priscila S. Sousa6th Middlesex2/14/2023Daniel Cahill10th Essex2/17/2023Jonathan D. Zlotnik2nd Worcester3/1/2023Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk3/2/2023Jack Patrick Lewis7th Middlesex3/14/2023Christopher Richard Flanagan1st Barnstable3/14/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1201 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2339
By Representative Hawkins of Attleboro, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2339) of
James K. Hawkins and others relative to the reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter
personal protective equipment. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2475 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act relative to the reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter personal protective
equipment.
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 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the
2following section:-
3 Section 237. (a) The following terms shall have the following meanings unless the
4context clearly requires otherwise:-
5 “Firefighting personal protective equipment” means any clothing designed, intended, or
6marketed to be worn by firefighting personnel in the performance of their duties, designed with
7the intent for the use in fire and rescue activities, including jackets, pants, shoes, gloves, helmets,
8and respiratory equipment. 2 of 3
9 “Local governments” includes any county, city, town, fire district, regional fire protection
10authority, or special purpose district that provides firefighting services.
11 “Manufacturer” includes any person, firm, association, partnership, corporation,
12organization, joint venue, importer, or domestic distributor of firefighting agents or firefighting
13equipment. For the purposes of this definition, “importer” means the owner of the product.
14 “Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoraolkyl substances” or “PFAS chemicals” mean, for the
15purposes of firefighting agents and firefighting equipment, a class of fluorinated organic
16chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.
17 (b) A manufacturer or other person that sells firefighting personal protective equipment
18containing PFAS chemicals to any person, local government, or state agency shall provide
19written notice to the purchaser at the time of sale which shall state: (i) that the firefighting
20personal protective equipment contains PFAS chemicals; and (ii) the reason PFAS chemicals are
21added to the equipment.
22 The manufacturer or other person selling firefighting personal protective equipment and
23the purchaser of the equipment shall retain a copy of the notice required pursuant to this
24subsection on file for at least 3 years from the date of the purchase. Upon the request of the
25department, a person, manufacturer, or purchaser shall furnish the notice, or written copies, and
26associated sales documentation to the department within 60 days of such request.
27 SECTION 2. Section 237 of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as added by section 1, is
28hereby amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following
29subsection:- 3 of 3
30 (b) A manufacturer or other person that sells firefighting personal protective equipment to
31any person, local government, or state agency shall not manufacture, knowingly sell, offer for
32sale, distribute for sale, or distribute for use in the commonwealth any firefighting personal
33protective equipment containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals.
34 SECTION 3. Section 1 shall take effect on January 1, 2025.
35 SECTION 4. Section 2 shall take effect on January 1, 2027.