SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1101        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1172

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Karen E. Spilka

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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 ensuring the safety of people with pets in disasters.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1101        FILED ON: 1/17/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1172

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act ensuring the safety of people with pets in disasters.

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 1 of chapter 639 of the acts of 1950 is hereby amended by inserting after the word “persons” the following words: –  and household pets and service animals, as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1570b,

SECTION 2. Section 1 of chapter 639 of the acts of 1950 is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the second paragraph the following words: –

Any emergency plan of operations shall include strategies to support the needs of people with household pets, and the needs of household pets under their care, including service animals. Such local organization for civil defense shall take appropriate steps to educate the public regarding the resources available in the event of an emergency and the importance of emergency preparedness planning.