HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 149 FILED ON: 1/8/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 123
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Danielle W. Gregoire
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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 regarding the use of aversive therapy.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Danielle W. Gregoire | 4th Middlesex | 1/8/2019 |
Louis L. Kafka | 8th Norfolk | 1/18/2019 |
Carmine Lawrence Gentile | 13th Middlesex | 1/28/2019 |
Tricia Farley-Bouvier | 3rd Berkshire | 1/28/2019 |
Carolyn C. Dykema | 8th Middlesex | 1/28/2019 |
Jonathan Hecht | 29th Middlesex | 1/29/2019 |
Kenneth I. Gordon | 21st Middlesex | 1/29/2019 |
William C. Galvin | 6th Norfolk | 2/1/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 149 FILED ON: 1/8/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 123
By Miss Gregoire of Marlborough, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 123) of Danielle W. Gregoire and others for legislation to prohibit the use of procedures which cause physical pain or deny a reasonable humane existence to persons with disabilities. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 93 OF 2017-2018.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act regarding the use of aversive therapy.
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. Section 16 of Chapter 6A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2010 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting the following text:-
No program, agency, or facility funded, operated, licensed, or approved by any agency or subdivision of the Commonwealth shall administer or cause to be administered to any person with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability any procedure which causes obvious signs of physical pain, including, but not limited to, hitting, pinching, and electric shock for the purposes of changing the behavior of the person.
No such program may employ any form of physical contact or punishment that is otherwise prohibited by law, or would be prohibited if used on a non-disabled person.
No such program may employ any procedure which denies a person with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability reasonable sleep, food, shelter, bedding, bathroom facilities, and any other aspect expected of a humane existence in the Commonwealth.