HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2098        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2883

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

_________________

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 disaster preparedness.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/17/2019

Bradford Hill

4th Essex

1/23/2019

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

1/17/2019

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

1/17/2019

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

1/30/2019

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

1/31/2019

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

1/28/2019

Randy Hunt

5th Barnstable

1/28/2019

Angelo L. D'Emilia

8th Plymouth

1/29/2019

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

1/30/2019

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

1/31/2019

Donald H. Wong

9th Essex

1/31/2019

Alyson M. Sullivan

7th Plymouth

1/31/2019

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

2/1/2019

James M. Kelcourse

1st Essex

2/1/2019

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

2/1/2019

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

2/1/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2098        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2883

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2883) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others for an investigation by a special commission relative to deficiencies of emergency response plans for electric and gas utility providers.  Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to disaster preparedness.

 

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 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

SECTION X. There is hereby established a special commission to investigate, study and identify any deficiencies of an emergency response plans for each electric and gas utility provider which conducts business in the Commonwealth. Said commission shall also provide each utility company recommendations of ways to improve such plans to ensure the health and safety of the residents of the Commonwealth.

The commission shall consist of the commissioner of the department of public utilities, or a designee, who shall serve as chair; 1 person to be appointed by the president of the senate, who shall be a representative of a metropolitan planning organization; 1 person to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate, who shall be a representative of the Utility Contractors’ Association of New England ; 1 person to be appointed by the speaker of the house, who shall be a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts; 1 person to be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives, who shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency; and 6 people to be appointed by the governor, 2 of whom shall be representatives of the department of public safety, 2 of whom shall be representatives of an electric utility, and 2 of whom shall be representatives of a gas utility, with expertise in the planning of gas construction projects.

The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the general court and each utility company studied, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry out said recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the senate and the clerk of the house of representatives on or before March 1, 2020, or 1 year after the effective date of this act.

The members of the commission shall be appointed within 60 days after the effective date of this act and shall serve until the completion of the investigation and study.