HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 744        FILED ON: 1/14/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3205

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Sean Garballey

_________________

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 half-staff notifications.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

1/14/2019


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 744        FILED ON: 1/14/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3205

By Mr. Garballey of Arlington, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3205) of Sean Garballey relative to flying the flag of the Commonwealth at half-staff annually to honor service members killed while on active duty.  Veterans and Federal Affairs.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to half-staff notifications.

 

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

Section 6A of Chapter 2 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 official edition is hereby amended by adding at the end the following paragraph:-

(h)  All military service members (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard, and Reserves) residing in Massachusetts, and performing military duty under official orders, who are killed while in an active duty  status, will be honored by having flags throughout the  Commonwealth flown at half-staff from the day of death until sunset of the day of interment in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by, or at the direction of the governor.  The remains of POWs/MIAs  repatriated within the Commonwealth shall have the flag half-staffed on the day of arrival within the Commonwealth through the day of internment.  Additionally, flags will be half-staffed each year on national POW/MIA Day, observed across the nation on the third Friday of September, from sunrise to sunset.