HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 121        FILED ON: 1/9/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2162

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Harold P. Naughton, Jr.

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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 resolve:

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to preparedness for natural disasters.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 121        FILED ON: 1/9/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2162

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3431 OF 2013-2014.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to preparedness for natural disasters.

Resolved, SECTION 1. Resolved, That a special commission is hereby established for the purpose of conducting an investigation and study of the commonwealth’s preparedness for a natural disaster. The commission shall recommend strategies and practices to minimize the risk of cyber attacks, utilities outages and other public safety concerns that may arise during or as a result of a natural disaster. The commission shall also study and make recommendations to improve the commonwealth’s disaster relief techniques.

The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; 1 member to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 member to be appointed by the house minority leader; the colonel of state police or the colonel’s designee; the commissioner of the department of public safety or the commissioner’s designee; the director of the Massachusetts emergency management agency or the director’s designee; the chairman of the commonwealth utilities commission or the chairman’s designee, and 3 persons to be appointed by the governor. All appointments shall be made not later than 30 days after the effective date of this resolve.  The chairpersons shall meet with the commission not later than 60 days after the effective date of this resolve.

SECTION 2. The commission shall report to the general court the result of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives not later than 120 days after the first meeting of the commission.