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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1930 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1410
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul W. Mark
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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
resolve:
Resolve increasing diagnostic testing preparedness.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1930 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1410
By Mr. Mark, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1410) of Paul W. Mark that
provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including members
of the General Court) to increase diagnostic testing preparedness. Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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Resolve increasing diagnostic testing preparedness.
1 Resolved, that there shall be a special legislative Diagnostic Testing Preparedness
2commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study the
3public and private diagnostic testing infrastructure in the commonwealth and to make
4recommendations to increase preparedness for future pandemics, epidemics and emerging
5pathogens.
6 To assist the commission in carrying out its review, the commissioner of public health
7and the executive director of the center for health information and analysis each shall provide to
8the commission any data and information the commission considers relevant to its charge.
9 The commission shall include the following members: the commissioner of public health,
10or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the chairs of the joint committee on Covid-19 and
11emergency preparedness and management; the chairs of the joint committee on public health; the
12minority leader of the house of representatives, or a house member designee; the minority leader
13of the senate, or a senate member designee; and the following members who shall be appointed 2 of 3
14by the commissioner of public health: a representative of a community hospital laboratory; a
15representative of a university laboratory; a representative of a rural hospital laboratory;
16representative of a large reference laboratory; a representative of an in vitro diagnostics
17manufacturer; a representative of a physician office clinic; a licensed physician who specializes
18in infectious diseases; a clinical pharmacist; a licensed primary care physician; an emergency
19room physician; an emergency medical technician; a representative of a long term care facility; a
20representative of a home health agency; and, any other member who has specialized knowledge
21or experience that would be valuable to the commission.
22 The commission shall review the ability of the commonwealth’s public and private
23diagnostic infrastructure to meet the testing demands throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and
24shall recommend a strategic plan to prepare the commonwealth’s diagnostic testing infrastructure
25and capacity to improve the commonwealth’s preparedness to meet diagnostic, screening and
26surveillance needs for existing infectious diseases, emerging pathogens, and future epidemics
27and pandemics. In developing the strategic plan, the commission shall: (i) prepare an inventory
28of all existing laboratory testing assets in the commonwealth including public health, hospital,
29physician office, and reference laboratories; (ii) identify laboratory testing assets that could be
30used as surge capacity during an epidemic or pandemic, such as those found in universities,
31industry, blood banks, or clinical research entities; (iii) identify access barriers to testing and
32provide recommendations to address them, especially for our most vulnerable populations; and,
33(iv) develop a plan to establish a reserve of diagnostic testing supplies, reagents and equipment
34to increase the commonwealth’s preparedness for infectious disease testing during an epidemic,
35pandemic, or other public health emergency, which should consider state-held stockpiles,
36vendor-managed reserve inventories, and other innovative public-private partnerships and shall 3 of 3
37include recommendations regarding the operation, purchase, storage, maintenance and
38distribution of said stockpile and any funding required to establish such a reserve.
39 The special commission shall submit a report of its findings and any recommendations by
40filing its report with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and
41senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on Covid-19 and emergency
42preparedness and management and the joint committee on public health, not later than February
431, 2024. The first meeting of the commission shall be not later than July 1, 2023.