Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1410 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1930 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1410
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Paul W. Mark
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve increasing diagnostic testing preparedness.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
17	17	Hampshire 1 of 3
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1930 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1410
20	20	By Mr. Mark, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1410) of Paul W. Mark that
21	21	provisions be made for an investigation and study by a special commission (including members
22	22	of the General Court) to increase diagnostic testing preparedness. Public Health.
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
26	26	(2023-2024)
27	27	_______________
28	28	Resolve increasing diagnostic testing preparedness.
29	29	1 Resolved, that there shall be a special legislative Diagnostic Testing Preparedness
30	30	2commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study the
31	31	3public and private diagnostic testing infrastructure in the commonwealth and to make
32	32	4recommendations to increase preparedness for future pandemics, epidemics and emerging
33	33	5pathogens.
34	34	6 To assist the commission in carrying out its review, the commissioner of public health
35	35	7and the executive director of the center for health information and analysis each shall provide to
36	36	8the commission any data and information the commission considers relevant to its charge.
37	37	9 The commission shall include the following members: the commissioner of public health,
38	38	10or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the chairs of the joint committee on Covid-19 and
39	39	11emergency preparedness and management; the chairs of the joint committee on public health; the
40	40	12minority leader of the house of representatives, or a house member designee; the minority leader
41	41	13of the senate, or a senate member designee; and the following members who shall be appointed 2 of 3
42	42	14by the commissioner of public health: a representative of a community hospital laboratory; a
43	43	15representative of a university laboratory; a representative of a rural hospital laboratory;
44	44	16representative of a large reference laboratory; a representative of an in vitro diagnostics
45	45	17manufacturer; a representative of a physician office clinic; a licensed physician who specializes
46	46	18in infectious diseases; a clinical pharmacist; a licensed primary care physician; an emergency
47	47	19room physician; an emergency medical technician; a representative of a long term care facility; a
48	48	20representative of a home health agency; and, any other member who has specialized knowledge
49	49	21or experience that would be valuable to the commission.
50	50	22 The commission shall review the ability of the commonwealth’s public and private
51	51	23diagnostic infrastructure to meet the testing demands throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and
52	52	24shall recommend a strategic plan to prepare the commonwealth’s diagnostic testing infrastructure
53	53	25and capacity to improve the commonwealth’s preparedness to meet diagnostic, screening and
54	54	26surveillance needs for existing infectious diseases, emerging pathogens, and future epidemics
55	55	27and pandemics. In developing the strategic plan, the commission shall: (i) prepare an inventory
56	56	28of all existing laboratory testing assets in the commonwealth including public health, hospital,
57	57	29physician office, and reference laboratories; (ii) identify laboratory testing assets that could be
58	58	30used as surge capacity during an epidemic or pandemic, such as those found in universities,
59	59	31industry, blood banks, or clinical research entities; (iii) identify access barriers to testing and
60	60	32provide recommendations to address them, especially for our most vulnerable populations; and,
61	61	33(iv) develop a plan to establish a reserve of diagnostic testing supplies, reagents and equipment
62	62	34to increase the commonwealth’s preparedness for infectious disease testing during an epidemic,
63	63	35pandemic, or other public health emergency, which should consider state-held stockpiles,
64	64	36vendor-managed reserve inventories, and other innovative public-private partnerships and shall 3 of 3
65	65	37include recommendations regarding the operation, purchase, storage, maintenance and
66	66	38distribution of said stockpile and any funding required to establish such a reserve.
67	67	39 The special commission shall submit a report of its findings and any recommendations by
68	68	40filing its report with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and
69	69	41senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on Covid-19 and emergency
70	70	42preparedness and management and the joint committee on public health, not later than February
71	71	431, 2024. The first meeting of the commission shall be not later than July 1, 2023.