HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 401        FILED ON: 1/14/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 77

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Tom Sannicandro

_________________

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 the humane treatment of disabled persons.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

1/14/2011

John P. Fresolo

16th Worcester

1/26/2011


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 401        FILED ON: 1/14/2011

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 77

By Mr. Sannicandro of Ashland, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 77) of Tom Sannicandro and John P. Fresolo relative to the humane treatment of disabled persons.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 154 OF 2009-2010.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

_______________

 

An Act relative to the humane treatment of disabled persons.

 

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. Section 16 of Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 official edition, is hereby amended by adding at the thereof the following text:-

Disabled citizens, as all other citizens of the Commonwealth, are entitled to equal protection under Article CXIV of the Massachusetts Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of handicap, and the full protection of the laws of the Commonwealth, which prohibit the use of corporal punishment on school children and prisoners.

No program funded, operated, licensed, or approved by any agency or subdivision of the Commonwealth shall administer to any person with a physical or mental disability any procedure which causes obvious signs of physical pain, including, but not limited to, hitting, pinching, and electric shock for the purposes of changing the behavior of the person.

No such program may employ any form of physical contact or punishment that is otherwise prohibited by law, or would be prohibited if used on a non-disabled person.

No such program may employ any procedure which denies a person with a physical or mental disability adequate sleep, food, shelter, bedding or bathroom facilities.