Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1708 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1903 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1708
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Patricia D. Jehlen
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 fire safety education in schools and colleges.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patricia D. JehlenSecond MiddlesexMichael J. BarrettThird Middlesex2/3/2025 1 of 2
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1903 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1708
18	18	By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1708) of Patricia D. Jehlen and
19	19	Michael J. Barrett relative to fire safety education in schools and colleges. Public Safety and
20	20	Homeland Security.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2313 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 fire safety education in schools and colleges.
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 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
32	32	2Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 47 the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 48. Establishment of a fire safety curriculum. (a) For the purposes of this section,
34	34	4the following term shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following
35	35	5meaning:- “Institute of higher education”, all postsecondary institutions including: (i) the system
36	36	6of public institutions of higher education, established in section 5; (ii) private occupational
37	37	7schools, as defined in section 263 of chapter 112; and (iii) private colleges, universities and other
38	38	8institutions of higher learning. 2 of 2
39	39	9 (b) All institutes of higher education shall require students to complete a comprehensive
40	40	10fire safety curriculum from an expert source. The curriculum shall cover fire safety in a variety
41	41	11of scenarios, including, but not limited to, fire prevention and escape, what to do in case of both
42	42	12smoldering and flaming fires, kitchen fires, electrical fires, vehicle fires, smoke inhalation, and
43	43	13carbon monoxide poisoning. Students shall complete an examination to test student proficiency.
44	44	14 SECTION 2. Chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
45	45	15is hereby amended by inserting after section 99 the following section:-
46	46	16 Section 100. Establishment of a fire safety curriculum. (a) For the purposes of this
47	47	17section, the following term shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the
48	48	18following meaning:- “School”, every public or private elementary and secondary school in the
49	49	19commonwealth; provided, however, that the term school shall not include colleges and
50	50	20universities.
51	51	21 (b) All schools shall require students to complete a comprehensive fire safety curriculum
52	52	22by the end of the 10th grade from an expert source. The curriculum shall cover fire safety in a
53	53	23variety of scenarios, including, but not limited to, fire prevention and escape, what to do in case
54	54	24of both smoldering and flaming fires, kitchen fires, electrical fires, vehicle fires, smoke
55	55	25inhalation, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Students shall complete an examination to test
56	56	26student proficiency.