SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1649        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1238

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Harriette L. Chandler

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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 relative to implementing a blue alert system in the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1649        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1238

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1114 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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An Act relative to implementing a blue alert system in the Commonwealth.

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. Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after section 18L the following section:-

Section 18M.

(a) As used in this section, the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—

“EMS first responder”, a person providing emergency medical services as defined in section 1 of chapter 111C.

“First responders”, members of police and fire departments, members of the state police participating in highway patrol and members of emergency reserve units of a volunteer fire department or fire protection district trained to administer first aid; provided, however, that first responders shall not include police officers, fire fighters and persons engaged in police and fire work whose duties are primarily clerical or administrative.

“Private safety department”, an entity that provides emergency police, fire, ambulance or medical services, excluding a municipality or a public safety department.

“Public safety department”, a functional division of a municipality or a state that provides fire fighting, law enforcement, ambulance, medical or other emergency services.

“Secretary”, the secretary of public safety.

(b) There is hereby created, subject to available funds, a blue alert community response system. The blue alert system shall be used when law enforcement officials are searching for an individual who is wanted in the serious injury or killing of a police officer, state trooper, or other law enforcement official. The blue alert system shall direct and focus law enforcement and other key response resources in a cost-effective way within a geographic area consistent with the location of the incident.

(c) The executive office of public safety, in conjunction with the department of state police, shall, subject to available funds, develop and implement the blue alert system. The secretary shall adopt rules and regulations, as necessary, to ensure proper implementation of the blue alert system.

In promulgating such rules and regulations, the secretary shall consult with: the attorney general, the executive director of the state 911 department, a representative of the state police, a representative of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, a representative of the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association, and a park ranger with the department of conservation and recreation.

(d) All first responders, EMS first responders, 911 operators and other appropriate personnel as determined by the secretary shall be trained on the blue alert system application and protocols. Re-training shall be included in the in-service training curriculum for such personnel.