Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1572 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. 157 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1572
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Patrick M. O'Connor
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 bill:
12	12	An Act relative to emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patrick M. O'ConnorFirst Plymouth and NorfolkVanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 157 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1572
18	18	By Mr. O'Connor, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1572) of Patrick M. O'Connor
19	19	and Vanna Howard for legislation relative to emergency response in an active shooter or hostile
20	20	event situation. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 1630 OF 2021-2022.]
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	An Act relative to emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Chapter 6A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 18V the
32	32	2following section:-
33	33	3 Section 18W. (a) Definitions
34	34	4 Active Shooter/Hostile Events Response (ASHER) Program: A community-based
35	35	5approach to preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery from an ASHER incident,
36	36	6including public and private partnerships, emergency management, the medical community,
37	37	7emergency responders, and the public.
38	38	8 Department: The Executive Office of Public Safety Secretary; the Secretary of Public
39	39	9Safety 2 of 3
40	40	10 (b) The department shall adopt the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 3000 as
41	41	11the standard guideline for active shooter or hostile event situations in the Commonwealth.
42	42	12 (c) The department, in conjunction with state, county, municipal, and regional law
43	43	13enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and emergency response agencies,
44	44	14develop and implement standard training requirements to achieve an integrated preparedness,
45	45	15response, and recovery for active shooter or hostile event situations.
46	46	16 (d) There shall be within the department an Active Shooter or Hostile Event Situation
47	47	17(ASHER) Executive Council, consisting of the Secretary or their designee; Fire Marshall or their
48	48	18designee; the Colonel of the State Police or their designee, a medical director appointed by the
49	49	19OEMS medical director; the director of the office of preparedness and emergency management
50	50	20at the department of public health, or a designee; and 10 members appointed by the Secretary, or
51	51	21their designees, as follows: 1 each from the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the
52	52	22Massachusetts Ambulance Association, the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, the
53	53	23International Association of EMTs and Paramedics, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, the
54	54	24Massachusetts Coalition of Police, the State Police Association of Massachusetts, a
55	55	25representative of the state 911 department and 2 members at large.
56	56	26 The Secretary shall appoint the chair of the executive council. Each appointed member of
57	57	27the executive council shall serve a term of 3 years, or until a successor is appointed and
58	58	28qualified. At least one-half of the total appointed members of executive council shall constitute a
59	59	29quorum for the transaction of business. Appointees shall serve without compensation.
60	60	30 (e) The executive council shall meet, at a minimum, once quarterly, and shall assist in
61	61	31coordinating the efforts of all persons and agencies in the state concerned with the emergency 3 of 3
62	62	32response in an active shooter or hostile event situation, and shall render advice on the
63	63	33development of the emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
64	64	34 The executive council, in consultation with the department, shall submit an annual report
65	65	35to the Secretary and to the Clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate, on or before June
66	66	3630.
67	67	37 (f) It shall be the duty of the department to plan, guide, assist, coordinate and regulate the
68	68	38development of an emergency response plan in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
69	69	39 The department shall be the lead state agency for development and recommendations on
70	70	40emergency response to an active shooter or hostile event situation in the Commonwealth. The
71	71	41department shall have the authority to:
72	72	42 (1) direct and coordinate a program for planning, developing, maintaining, expanding,
73	73	43improving and upgrading emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
74	74	44 (2) establish minimum standards and criteria for all elements of emergency response in
75	75	45an active shooter or hostile event situation, taking into consideration relevant standards and
76	76	46criteria developed or adopted by nationally recognized agencies or organizations, and the
77	77	47recommendations of interested parties.
78	78	48 (3) define and approve the minimum standards for training programs on emergency
79	79	49response in an active shooter or hostile event situation in this state.