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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2814 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2970
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Todd M. Smola
_________________
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 providing the next of kin of a state police officer killed in the line of duty with
a flag during the memorial service.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Todd M. Smola1st Hampden1/16/2025 1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2814 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2970
By Representative Smola of Warren, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2970) of Todd
M. Smola for legislation to provide the next of kin of state police officers killed in the line of
duty with a flag during memorial services. Public Service.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2664 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to providing the next of kin of a state police officer killed in the line of duty with
a flag during the memorial service.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 89 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:-
3 "If an officer of the department of state police is killed, or dies from injuries received or
4dies as a natural and proximate result of undergoing a hazard peculiar to the officer's
5employment, while in the performance of the officer’s duty, the officer’s next of kin shall receive
6from the department a flag of the commonwealth during the memorial service. For purposes of
7this paragraph, next of kin shall mean a person who is a surviving spouse, partner, parent or close
8family member of the deceased."