1 of 1
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2171 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1719
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Paul W. Mark
_________________
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 enhancing the safety of first responders.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2171 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1719
By Mr. Mark, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1719) of Paul W. Mark for legislation
to enhance safety of first responders with initiatives, including training, protective equipment,
and emergency response planning.. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act enhancing the safety of first responders.
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 1. Section 2 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws is hereby amended by
2inserting after line 671, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, the following paragraph:-
3 The registrar shall furnish without charge to the owner of a private passenger motor
4vehicle who is a parent, child or spouse of a police officer of a police department of any city or
5town, the department of state police or the Massachusetts bay transportation authority police
6department, who has been killed in the line of duty, upon presentation of satisfactory evidence to
7the registrar, a distinctive registration plate that reads "Blue Star Family" for 1 private passenger
8motor vehicle owned and principally used by that person or a distinctive "Blue Star Family"
9emblem to be affixed to a registration plate for a motorcycle privately owned and principally
10used by that person. The registrar may issue a distinctive "Blue Star Family" registration of up to
116 characters for 1 private passenger motor vehicle owned and principally used by that person. A
12police officer shall be determined to have been killed in the line of duty for purposes of this 2 of 4
13paragraph if the circumstance meets those which would make them eligible to be placed on the
14National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C.
15 SECTION 2. Section 7C of Chapter 89 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
16Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out subsection 2(c) in its entirety and inserting in
17place thereof:-
18 (c) Violation of this section may be punished by a fine of $250 for a first offense, by a
19fine of $500 for a second offense, and by a fine of $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense;
20provided that any violation that results in injury to another person may be punished by a fine of
21$2,500 or up to one year in jail or house of correction.
22 And further, by adding the following sections:-
23 (d) In addition to any fines pursuant to subsection (c), an operator who commits a second
24or third offense shall be required to complete a program selected by the registrar of motor
25vehicles that encourages a change in driver behavior and attitude about the "Move Over Law".
26 (e) A first or second offense under this section shall not be a surchargeable incident under
27section 113B of chapter 175 or under motor vehicle liability policy as defined in section 34A that
28is issued pursuant to said chapter 175; provided, however, that a third or subsequent offense shall
29be a surchargeable incident under said section 113B of said chapter 175 or under a motor vehicle
30liability policy as defined in said section 34A that is issued pursuant to said chapter 175.
31 (f) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, upon receipt of the
32payment of fines issued under this section, the state comptroller shall immediately cause not less
33than 50% of the total to be transferred to registry of motor vehicles to be held as retained 3 of 4
34revenue, provided said revenue shall be used to defray the 100 per cent of the annual cost
35associated with section 1 of this act, and further, the remaining balance shall be transferred to the
36state treasurer to supplement costs associated with section 3 of this act.
37 SECTION 3. Chapter 10 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
38is hereby amended by inserting after section 35SSS the following section:-
39 Section 35TTT. There shall be established and set up on the books of the Commonwealth
40a separate fund to be known as the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial Fund to be used
41without appropriation by a department of public safety for the purpose of making annual
42payments to the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial to memorialize and honor
43Massachusetts law enforcement personnel killed in the line of duty. There shall be credited to the
44fund revenues received by the Commonwealth from the sale of registration plates under section
452G of chapter 90.
46 SECTION 4. Section 18¾ of Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
47Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following clause:-
48 (10) to develop and implement a statewide blue alert system to be activated when law
49enforcement officials are searching for an individual who is wanted in the serious injury or
50killing of a police officer, state trooper, or other law enforcement official.
51 SECTION 5. Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
52is hereby amended by inserting after section 18AA the following section:-
53 Section 19B. The executive office of public safety shall coordinate the implementation of
54a statewide blue alert system, pursuant to section 21 of chapter 22. 4 of 4
55 SECTION 6. Chapter 22 of The General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition
56are hereby amended by adding the following section:-
57 Section 21.
58 THE STATEWIDE BLUE ALERT SYSTEM
59 Section 1. The following terms as used in this chapter shall, unless the context clearly
60appears otherwise, have the following meanings:
61 “Executive office”, the executive office of public safety.
62 "Law enforcement agency", a law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the
63investigation of a crime resulting in the serious injury or death of a police officer, state trooper,
64or other law enforcement official.