SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1174        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1436

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Relative to Sleep Deprivation Avoidance and Promotion of Good Sleeping Practices.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof, the following new sections:

Section 15 DDDDD.  The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the second week of March as Massachusetts Sleep Awareness Week, and the first Sunday in March as Massachusetts Sleep Awareness Day and recommending that such week be properly observed as a period of special attention to the problems of sleep deprivation and fatigue such as: impaired reaction time, judgment and vision; problems with information processing and short-term memory; decreased performance, vigilance and motivation; increased moodiness and aggressive behaviors; and, especially, the dangers of driving under the influence of sleep deprivation or fatigue.  To this end, the agencies of the Commonwealth as well as private organizations, especially those interested in education, transportation, public health, and public safety, shall adopt policies and programs consistent with the goals of: (1) increasing public awareness about sleep, sleep disorders, and consequences of sleep deprivation; (2) promoting science-based public policies that improve the sleep health of the nation; (3) advancing basic, clinical, applied, and population-based research; and promoting recognition of and access to care for all individuals with sleep disorders.

Section 15 EEEEE.  The governor shall annually issue a proclamation setting apart the second week of November as Massachusetts Drowsy Driving Prevention Week and recommending that such week be properly observed as a period of special attention to the need for public awareness and action relative to the problems of drowsy driving and driver fatigue.  For purposes of this section “drowsy driving” or “driver fatigue” shall mean driving while being “sleepy,” “tired,” “drowsy,” or “exhausted.”