Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H4022 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. 3408 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4022
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	James C. Arena-DeRosa
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
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve providing for the study and investigation relative to the efficacy of alternative treatments
14	14	for veterinary medicine.
15	15	_______________
16	16	PETITION OF:
17	17	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex1/17/2025 1 of 2
18	18	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3408 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
19	19	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4022
20	20	By Representative Arena-DeRosa of Holliston, a petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No.
21	21	4022) of James C. Arena-DeRosa for an investigation by a special commission (including
22	22	members of the General Court) relative to the rabies vaccine laws and exempting certain pets
23	23	with illness from said vaccine. Public Health.
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	Resolve providing for the study and investigation relative to the efficacy of alternative treatments
30	30	for veterinary medicine.
31	31	1 Resolved, there shall be established, pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General
32	32	2Laws, a special commission for the purposes of a study relative to the efficacy and safety of
33	33	3amending the commonwealth’s rabies vaccine laws pursuant to section 145B of chapter 140 of
34	34	4the General Laws to exempt certain pets with illness who display a sufficient level of rabies
35	35	5antibodies from receiving a rabies vaccine.
36	36	6 The members of the special commission shall consist of: (i) the chairs of the joint
37	37	7committee on public health or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; (ii) the
38	38	8commissioner of the department of public health or their designee; (iii) the commissioner of the
39	39	9division of occupational licensure or their designee; and (iv) the 5 members of the board of
40	40	10registration in veterinary medicine pursuant to section 26 of chapter 13 of the General Laws.
41	41	11 The special commission shall determine the safety and efficacy of: (i) administering the
42	42	12rabies vaccines to animals with an illness subject to section 145B of chapter 140 of the General 2 of 2
43	43	13Laws; and (ii) amending the commonwealth’s rabies vaccine laws to create an exemption for
44	44	14animals with an illness whereby a rabies titer test would be used to determine if the animal’s
45	45	15rabies antibody levels are high enough to be deemed sufficiently immune and therefore able to
46	46	16forego a rabies vaccine.
47	47	17 All appointments to the special commission shall be made not later than 30 days after the
48	48	18effective date of this resolve.
49	49	19 The special commission shall prepare a report detailing the results of the study, along
50	50	20with its findings and any recommendations for legislation. The report shall be submitted to the
51	51	21clerks of the house of representatives and senate not later than January 1, 2027.