HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3347        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3050

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Lori A. Ehrlich and Joan B.  Lovely

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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 promoting access to emergency medical services for minors.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

1/20/2017

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

1/30/2017

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

2/3/2017

Michael S. Day

31st Middlesex

2/2/2017

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

1/26/2017

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

1/25/2017

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

2/2/2017

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

2/1/2017

Paul R. Heroux

2nd Bristol

2/2/2017

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/30/2017

Kevin J. Kuros

8th Worcester

1/30/2017

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

1/25/2017

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/3/2017

Kathleen O'Connor Ives

First Essex

2/3/2017

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

1/24/2017

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

1/30/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3347        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3050

By Representative Ehrlich of Marblehead and Senator Lovely, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3050) of Lori A. Ehrlich and others relative to the reporting of overdoses of controlled substance, alcohol, or combination of such substances.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act promoting access to emergency medical services for minors.

 

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

Chapter 138 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 34D the following section:-

34E. SAFE REPORTING OF OVERDOSES.

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

"overdose", a life-threatening condition resulting from the consumption or use of a controlled substance, alcohol, or any combination of such substances.

b. It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution of an individual for the unlawful purchase,

possession, transport, or consumption of alcohol pursuant to Sections 34A and 34C of Chapter 138 of the General Laws if:

1. Such individual, in good faith, seeks or obtains emergency medical attention for himself, if he is experiencing an overdose, or for another individual, if such other individual is experiencing an overdose, by contemporaneously reporting such overdose to a firefighter, emergency medical services personnel, a law-enforcement officer, or an emergency 911 system;

2. Such individual remains at the scene of the overdose or at any alternative location to which he or the person requiring emergency medical attention has been transported until a law-enforcement officer responds to the report of an overdose. If no law-enforcement officer is present at the scene of the overdose or at the alternative location, then such individual shall cooperate with law enforcement as otherwise set forth herein;

3. Such individual identifies himself to the law-enforcement officer who responds to the report of the overdose;

4. If requested by a law-enforcement officer, such individual substantially cooperates in any investigation of any criminal offense reasonably related to the controlled substance, alcohol, or combination of such substances that resulted in the overdose; and

5. The evidence for the prosecution of an offense enumerated in this subsection was obtained as a result of the individual seeking or obtaining emergency medical attention.

c. No individual may assert the affirmative defense provided for in this section if the person sought or obtained emergency medical attention for himself or another individual during the execution of a search warrant or during the conduct of a lawful search or a lawful arrest.

d. This section does not establish an affirmative defense for any individual or offense other than

those listed in subsection b.