HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4115 FILED ON: 3/26/2019
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Michael J. Moran, (BY REQUEST)
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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 disability awareness training.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Casandra Xavier | 89 Faneuil Street Apt. 253 Boston, MA 02135 | 3/26/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4115 FILED ON: 3/26/2019
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No.
By Mr. Moran of Boston (by request), a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Casandra Xavier relative to disability awareness training for certain state employees. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3802 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 relative to disability awareness training.
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 268A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 29 the following new section:-
SECTION 30. Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, to establish mandatory disability awareness training for employees of the (a) Massachusetts House of Representatives, Massachusetts Senate, Massport, MBTA, and all Public Safety Agencies. (b) This training may be included in preexisting disability trainings for employees in subsection (a).
The Massachusetts Office on Disability shall provide information, training, and technical assistance delivered through the eLearning system, and promulgate guidelines reflecting best practices, policies and procedures concerning persons with disabilities. An in person training may also be developed to work in conjunction with the online training.
Any persons with disabilities shall mean any persons with physical or developmental impairments including but not limited to blindness, deafness, and intellectual disabilities.
Employees (a) may complete the online training within 1 year after becoming such an employee, and every 2 years thereafter, upon completion of the online training program, the employee shall provide notice of such completion to be retained for 6 years by the appropriate employer. An additional in person training may be offered annually to all employees of subsection (a).
(1) The course of instruction and the guidelines shall stress positive responses to such individuals, understanding of the different manner in which such individual’s process sensory stimuli and language, and appropriate methods of interaction.
(2) The in person component shall include a section to allow persons with disabilities to volunteer to share their experiences and provide feedback about what practices would better help them when interacting with employees of subsection (a).