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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4226 FILED ON: 3/22/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3881
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Marcus S. Vaughn
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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 alert systems in public schools.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk3/22/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4226 FILED ON: 3/22/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 3881
By Representative Vaughn of Wrentham, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Marcus S.
Vaughn relative to public schools' emergency alert systems. Education.
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 alert systems in public schools.
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 37R of Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the
2definition of ‘Two-way communication device’ the following definition:-
3 ‘Silent panic alarm,’ a silent security system signal generated by the manual activation of
4a device with the intent to signal a life-threatening or emergency situation requiring an
5immediate response from law enforcement.
6 Section 37R is hereby further amended by striking out subsection (c) and inserting in
7place thereof the following subsection:-
8 (c) Each school shall, subject to appropriation, possess and have access to at least one
9silent panic alarm for use in a life-threatening or emergency situation requiring immediate
10response from law enforcement, including but not limited to an active shooter situation,
11lockdown, or armed or unarmed intruder on school grounds. The alarm shall be directly linked to
12local law enforcement and shall immediately transmit a signal or message to such authorities 2 of 2
13upon activation. The alarm shall not be audible within the school building and shall be equipped
14with an emergency light which turns on when the alarm is activated.
15 Section 37R is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (c) the following
16subsection:-
17 (d) No public employer shall be liable for injury, loss of property, personal injury or
18death caused by an act or omission of a public employee while acting in the scope of the public
19employee’s employment and arising out of the implementation of this section, This section shall
20not be construed as creating or imposing a specific duty of care.