HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 572        FILED ON: 1/13/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 697

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

John W. Scibak

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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 protecting children residing in public housing in the commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 572        FILED ON: 1/13/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 697

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1132 OF 2015-2016.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act protecting children residing in public housing 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 121B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition,  is hereby amended by adding after section 59 the following section:-

Section 60. There shall be a Window Falls Prevention Program established within the Department of Housing and Community Development. The purpose of said program shall be as follows:

Educating the public about the danger to children, age six (6) years and under, of falling from windows; and the importance of installing window guards in all DHCD-controlled dwellings that are operated by local municipal Housing Authorities and occupied by children age six (6) years and under. The Program shall conduct education and outreach efforts promoting awareness about the dangers to children, age six (6) years and under of falling from open or otherwise unprotected windows. Information and technical assistance shall be made available to the public on the steps and devices that may mitigate this serious problem. The Program shall work with any and all existing agencies and departments involved with children in its outreach efforts.

Within 180 days of the enactment of this Act, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall conduct a census of all tenants under age six residing in DHCD-controlled public housing in the Commonwealth, to determine how many children should be served by this program.

Subject to availability of funds, The Window Falls Prevention Program will also require public municipal Housing Authorities overseen by the Department of Housing and Community Development, in concert with appropriate community-based partners, to purchase, disseminate and install window safety guards on windows in the dwellings whose occupants include children age six (6) years and under.

The Department shall reach out to community-based partners, including the Safe Kids Massachusetts coalition and its members, to develop a strategy for acquiring, distributing and installing window guards in all units whose occupants include children age six years and under. The Department is authorized to take steps that will allow it to accept donations of window guards, and/or funds to purchase window guards, from organizations in the private and non-profit sectors.