HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 880        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3473

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Brian R. Mannal

_________________

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 obtaining the consent of next of kin for televised deaths.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Brian R. Mannal

2nd Barnstable

1/14/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 880        FILED ON: 1/14/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3473

By Mr. Mannal of Barnstable, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3473) of Brian R. Mannal for legislation to require the consent of the next of kin prior to the release of a videotape, audiotape or photograph of a person’s death to the public.  Public Health.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to obtaining the consent of next of kin for televised deaths.

 

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

Section 70E of chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the tenth paragraph the following paragraph:-

Each patient shall be granted protection from commercial and private exploitation of any kind. No patient shall be videotaped, audiotaped or photographed, expect for purposes of providing medical treatment, without either his or her express written consent, or that of his or her legal guardian. After receiving consent, any person or facility that videotapes, audiotapes or photographs a patient who dies during treatment shall notify the patient’s next of kin before exposing such videotape, audiotape or photograph to the public.