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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2061 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1077 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | James C. Arena-DeRosa |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to protecting homeowners after a property fire. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex1/15/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2061 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1077 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Arena-DeRosa of Holliston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1077) of James C. Arena-DeRosa relative to fire investigations. Financial Services. |
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| 20 | 20 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 21 | 21 | | _______________ |
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| 22 | 22 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | An Act relative to protecting homeowners after a property fire. |
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| 26 | 26 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 27 | 27 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | 1 Chapter 148 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby |
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| 29 | 29 | | 2amended by inserting after section 33 the following section:- |
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| 30 | 30 | | 3 Section 33A. (a) The marshal, the department, the division or municipal officials |
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| 31 | 31 | | 4including, but not limited to, police, fire and building officials shall prohibit any and all public |
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| 32 | 32 | | 5insurance adjusters, contractors and restoration companies from engaging in any solicitation or |
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| 33 | 33 | | 6inspection or any physical presence on the premises under investigation until 24 hours after |
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| 34 | 34 | | 7either: (i) the city, town or municipal fire department; or (ii) the marshal, the department or the |
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| 35 | 35 | | 8division releases control of the premises back to its legal owner or occupant, unless the public |
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| 36 | 36 | | 9insurance adjuster, contractor or restoration company is accompanied by, or acting with, |
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| 37 | 37 | | 10permission of the premises’ legal owner. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 11 (b) Any public insurance adjuster, contractor or restoration company in violation of this |
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| 39 | 39 | | 12provision shall be subject to a civil penalty of $1,000 for each violation and may be subject to 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 13revocation of their license by the commissioner of insurance pursuant to section 172 of chapter |
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| 41 | 41 | | 14175. |
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