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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 157 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1572
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Patrick M. O'Connor
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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 emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and NorfolkVanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 157 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1572
By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1572) of Patrick M. O'Connor
and Vanna Howard for legislation relative to emergency response in an active shooter or hostile
event situation. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1630 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 emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 18V the
2following section:-
3 Section 18W. (a) Definitions
4 Active Shooter/Hostile Events Response (ASHER) Program: A community-based
5approach to preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery from an ASHER incident,
6including public and private partnerships, emergency management, the medical community,
7emergency responders, and the public.
8 Department: The Executive Office of Public Safety Secretary; the Secretary of Public
9Safety 2 of 3
10 (b) The department shall adopt the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 3000 as
11the standard guideline for active shooter or hostile event situations in the Commonwealth.
12 (c) The department, in conjunction with state, county, municipal, and regional law
13enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and emergency response agencies,
14develop and implement standard training requirements to achieve an integrated preparedness,
15response, and recovery for active shooter or hostile event situations.
16 (d) There shall be within the department an Active Shooter or Hostile Event Situation
17(ASHER) Executive Council, consisting of the Secretary or their designee; Fire Marshall or their
18designee; the Colonel of the State Police or their designee, a medical director appointed by the
19OEMS medical director; the director of the office of preparedness and emergency management
20at the department of public health, or a designee; and 10 members appointed by the Secretary, or
21their designees, as follows: 1 each from the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the
22Massachusetts Ambulance Association, the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, the
23International Association of EMTs and Paramedics, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, the
24Massachusetts Coalition of Police, the State Police Association of Massachusetts, a
25representative of the state 911 department and 2 members at large.
26 The Secretary shall appoint the chair of the executive council. Each appointed member of
27the executive council shall serve a term of 3 years, or until a successor is appointed and
28qualified. At least one-half of the total appointed members of executive council shall constitute a
29quorum for the transaction of business. Appointees shall serve without compensation.
30 (e) The executive council shall meet, at a minimum, once quarterly, and shall assist in
31coordinating the efforts of all persons and agencies in the state concerned with the emergency 3 of 3
32response in an active shooter or hostile event situation, and shall render advice on the
33development of the emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
34 The executive council, in consultation with the department, shall submit an annual report
35to the Secretary and to the Clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate, on or before June
3630.
37 (f) It shall be the duty of the department to plan, guide, assist, coordinate and regulate the
38development of an emergency response plan in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
39 The department shall be the lead state agency for development and recommendations on
40emergency response to an active shooter or hostile event situation in the Commonwealth. The
41department shall have the authority to:
42 (1) direct and coordinate a program for planning, developing, maintaining, expanding,
43improving and upgrading emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
44 (2) establish minimum standards and criteria for all elements of emergency response in
45an active shooter or hostile event situation, taking into consideration relevant standards and
46criteria developed or adopted by nationally recognized agencies or organizations, and the
47recommendations of interested parties.
48 (3) define and approve the minimum standards for training programs on emergency
49response in an active shooter or hostile event situation in this state.