SENATE DOCKET, NO. 908        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1202

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jennifer L. Flanagan

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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 children's camp safety.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 908        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1202

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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An Act relative to children's camp safety.

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

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

There shall be established a task force to develop a statewide plan to coordinate the health and safety standards of licensed recreational camps and municipal summer programs in the state.   The task force shall review the state sanitary code regulations governing licensed recreational camps for children, examine the economic and operational feasibility of municipal summer programs conforming to state sanitary code regulations governing recreational camps for children, and create a statewide plan to bring licensed recreational camps for children and municipal summer programs for children into compliance with the state sanitary code regulations governing recreational camps for children.

The task force shall be comprised of the following members or their designees: the commissioner of the department of public health, who shall serve as chair;  2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house; 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; a representative of the Massachusetts Camping Association; a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association; a representative of the American Camp Association; a representative of the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association and 6 members to be appointed by the Governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a municipality with a summer program voluntarily compliant with the state sanitary code regulations governing recreational camps for children; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a municipality with a summer program outside of these regulations; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a child safety organization; 1 of whom shall be a representative of a licensed recreational camp; and 2 parent representatives.

The task force shall submit its findings and recommendations along with any proposed legislation or regulatory amendments necessary to implement a statewide plan with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and house committee on ways and means, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public health, and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on municipalities no later than one year from the effective date of this act.