Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2420 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 730 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2420
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	William C. Galvin
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 preventing death by drug overdose.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:William C. Galvin6th Norfolk1/13/2025 1 of 3
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 730 FILED ON: 1/13/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2420
18	18	By Representative Galvin of Canton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2420) of
19	19	William C. Galvin for legislation to authorize emergency medical technicians to restrain patients
20	20	who present immediate or serious threats of bodily harm to themselves or others. Public Health.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2168 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to preventing death by drug overdose.
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 SECTION 1. Chapter 111C of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out
32	32	2section 18, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following
33	33	32 sections:
34	34	4 Section 18. Subject to regulations and guidelines promulgated by the department, an
35	35	5emergency medical technician may restrain a patient who presents an immediate or serious threat
36	36	6of bodily harm to himself or others. Upon request by an EMT, a law enforcement official shall
37	37	7assist in the restraint of a patient. The minimum necessary restraint shall be used. Any such
38	38	8restraint shall be noted in the written report of said emergency medical technician. 2 of 3
39	39	9 Section 18A. If a law enforcement official, firefighter or EMS personnel administers an
40	40	10opioid antagonist, as defined in section 19B of chapter 94C, to a person suffering from an
41	41	11apparent drug overdose, such person shall be transported, with or without the person’s consent,
42	42	12by ambulance to a hospital for monitoring, observation and possible treatment until such time as
43	43	13the treating physician determines that the overdose has been reversed and the person is not in
44	44	14imminent danger. Law enforcement officials or EMS personnel may restrain a person transported
45	45	15pursuant to this section in accordance with the provisions of section 18. If a law enforcement
46	46	16official reasonably believes that his or her safety or the safety of other persons present so
47	47	17requires, the officer may search the person and the immediate surroundings, but only to the
48	48	18extent necessary to discover and seize any dangerous weapons which may on that occasion be
49	49	19used against the officer or other person present.
50	50	20 SECTION 2. Said chapter 111C is hereby further amended by striking out section 21, as
51	51	21so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
52	52	22 Section 21. No EMS personnel certified, accredited or otherwise approved under this
53	53	23chapter, and no additional personnel certified or authorized under section 9, who in the
54	54	24performance of their duties and in good faith render emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary
55	55	25resuscitation, transportation, including the transportation of a person suffering from an apparent
56	56	26drug overdose pursuant to section 18A, or other EMS, to an injured person or to a person
57	57	27incapacitated by illness shall be personally liable as a result of rendering such aid or services or,
58	58	28in the case of an emergency medical technician or additional personnel, as a result of
59	59	29transporting such person to a hospital or other health care facility, nor shall they be liable to a
60	60	30hospital for its expenses if, under emergency conditions, including expenses incurred in 3 of 3
61	61	31monitoring, observing or treating a person pursuant to section 18A, they cause the admission of
62	62	32such person to said hospital.
63	63	33 SECTION 3. Chapter 112 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section
64	64	3412V, as amended by chapter 38 of section 2014, and inserting in place thereof the following
65	65	35section:-
66	66	36 Section 12V. Any person who, in good faith, attempts to render emergency care
67	67	37including, but not limited to, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation, transport to a hospital,
68	68	38or administration of an opioid antagonist, as defined in section 19B of chapter 94C, and does so
69	69	39without compensation, shall not be liable for acts or omissions, other than gross negligence or
70	70	40willful or wanton misconduct, resulting from the attempt to render such emergency care.