HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3508        FILED ON: 2/19/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

NONE

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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 clarifying the powers of the governor under the Civil Defense Act.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3508        FILED ON: 2/19/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act clarifying the powers of the governor under the Civil Defense Act.

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

Whereas, the actions of Governor Deval Patrick on Friday, February 8, 2013, in Executive Order No. 543, ordering a state-wide ban on motor vehicle travel under a declared state of emergency, exceeded the public’s civil defense needs, and therefore unnecessarily suspended the people’s natural right to travel,

TITLE III, CIVIL DEFENSE, MILITARY AFFAIRS AND VETERANS

Chapter S31, Civil Defense Act, (Acts 1950, Ch.639) is amended as follows.

In the first sentence of Section 4, strike the words, “shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this act”

In the first sentence of Section 7, strike the words, “any and all” and “or expedient”

In paragraph (e) of Section 7, strike the words, “on Sundays or week-days” and add, after the word thereon “, provided that restriction of travel in the event of a state of emergency declared due to fire, flood, earthquake or other natural causes is limited to the immediate vicinity of the actual or anticipated disaster effects and only when such travel would impede disaster relief”