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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2721 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2737
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Steven George Xiarhos
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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 :DATE ADDED:Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable1/16/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2721 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2737
By Representative Xiarhos of Barnstable, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2737) of
Steven George Xiarhos relative to emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event
situation. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2421 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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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. Active Shooter/Hostile Events Response (ASHER) Program:
4 (a) Definitions
5 Active Shooter/Hostile Events Response (ASHER) Program; A community-based
6approach to preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery from an ASHER incident,
7including public and private partnerships, emergency management, the medical community,
8emergency responders, and the public.
9 Department; The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security 2 of 3
10 Secretary; The Secretary of Public Safety and Security
11 (b) The department shall adopt the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 3000
12Standard as the standard guideline for active shooter or hostile event situations in the
13Commonwealth.
14 (c) The department, in conjunction with state, county, municipal, and regional law
15enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and emergency response agencies,
16develop and implement standard training requirements to achieve an integrated preparedness,
17response, and recovery for active shooter or hostile event situations.
18 (d) There shall be within the department an Active Shooter or Hostile Event Situation
19(ASHER) Executive Council, consisting of the Secretary or their designee; Fire Marshall or their
20designee; the Colonel of the State Police or their designee, a medical director appointed by the
21OEMS medical director; the director of the office of preparedness and emergency management
22at the department of public health, or a designee; and 10 members appointed by the Secretary, or
23their designee, as follows: 1 each from the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the
24Massachusetts Ambulance Association, the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, the
25International Association of EMTs and Paramedics, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, the
26Massachusetts Coalition of Police, the State Police Association of Massachusetts, a
27representative of the state 911 department and 2 members at large. The Secretary shall appoint
28the chair of the executive council. Each appointed member of the executive council shall serve a
29term of 3 years, or until a successor is appointed and qualified. At least one-half of the total
30appointed members of executive council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
31business. Appointees shall serve without compensation. 3 of 3
32 (e) The executive council shall meet, at a minimum, once quarterly, and shall assist in
33coordinating the efforts of all persons and agencies in the state concerned with the emergency
34response in an active shooter or hostile event situation, and shall render advice on the
35development of the emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation. The
36executive council, in consultation with the department, shall submit an annual report to the
37Secretary and to the Clerks of the House of Representatives and Senate, on or before June 30.
38 (f) It shall be the duty of the department to plan, guide, assist, coordinate and regulate the
39development of an emergency response plan in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
40 (g) The department shall be the lead state agency for development and recommendations
41on emergency response to an active shooter or hostile event situation in the Commonwealth. The
42department shall have the authority to:
43 (1) direct and coordinate a program for planning, developing, maintaining, expanding,
44improving and upgrading emergency response in an active shooter or hostile event situation.
45 (2) establish minimum standards and criteria for all elements of emergency response in
46an active shooter or hostile event situation, taking into consideration relevant standards and
47criteria developed or adopted by nationally recognized agencies or organizations, and the
48recommendations of interested parties.
49 (3) define and approve the minimum standards for training programs on emergency
50response in an active shooter or hostile event situation in this state.