HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1789        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 106

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Danielle W. Gregoire

_________________

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 regarding the use of aversive therapy.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Danielle W. Gregoire

4th Middlesex

 

Tom Sannicandro

7th Middlesex

 

Dennis A. Rosa

4th Worcester

 

Louis L. Kafka

8th Norfolk

 

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

 

William Smitty Pignatelli

4th Berkshire

 

Christine E. Canavan

10th Plymouth

 

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

 

Katherine M. Clark

Fifth Middlesex

 

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

 

James M. Murphy

4th Norfolk

 

Kevin J. Murphy

18th Middlesex

 

Cory Atkins

14th Middlesex

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Jonathan Hecht

29th Middlesex

 

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

34th Middlesex

 

Diana DiZoglio

14th Essex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1789        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 106

By Miss Gregoire of Marlborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 106) of Danielle W. Gregoire and others for legislation to prohibit the use of procedures which cause physical pain or deny a reasonable humane existence to persons with disabilities.  Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

An Act regarding the use of aversive therapy.

 

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 2010 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting  the following text:-

No program, agency, or facility funded, operated, licensed, or approved by any agency or subdivision of the Commonwealth shall administer or cause to be administered to any person with a physical, intellectual, or developmental 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, intellectual, or developmental disability reasonable sleep, food, shelter, bedding, bathroom facilities, and any other aspect expected of a humane existence in the Commonwealth.