HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1137        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2116

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

James J. O'Day

_________________

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 enhancing child safety.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

James J. O'Day

14th Worcester

1/15/2019

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

1/30/2019

Carlos González

10th Hampden

1/28/2019

James K. Hawkins

2nd Bristol

1/28/2019

Stephan Hay

3rd Worcester

1/30/2019

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/29/2019

José F. Tosado

9th Hampden

1/25/2019

Timothy R. Whelan

1st Barnstable

1/30/2019

Patrick Joseph Kearney

4th Plymouth

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1137        FILED ON: 1/15/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2116

By Mr. O'Day of West Boylston, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2116) of James J. O'Day and others for legislation to require landlords to install window guards in certain windows.  Public Safety and Homeland Security.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

 

An Act enhancing child safety.

 

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 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 127P the following section:-

Section 127Q. Any landlord who has a tenant in a residential unit with a window higher than 6 feet off the ground shall inform the tenant that the landlord shall install window guards in any such windows at no additional cost to the tenant when the tenant can document the presence of children under 10 years of age in the unit. If any such windows are an access to fire escape routes or structures, the window guard shall be removable. The tenant shall not remove the window guards for any reason except emergency egress in times of a fire or other situation involving hazardous materials. The obligations of a landlord to install window guards under this section shall not affect the ability of a renter to lease the unit; and any discrimination by the landlord in this regard shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $250 but not more than $500.