SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2409        FILED ON: 4/22/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2221

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Dean A. Tran

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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 establishing a commission to study the effects of K2 in state prisons.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2409        FILED ON: 4/22/2019

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2221

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 establishing a commission to study the effects of K2 in state prisons.

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

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall hereby be established a special commission to study the impacts of synthetic cannabinoids, otherwise known as K2, on the correctional system of the commonwealth.

The commission shall consist of: the secretary of the executive office public safety & security or their designee, the commissioner of the department of correction or their designee, the commissioner of the department of public health or their designee, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety & homeland security, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on the judiciary, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on mental health, substance use & recovery, 1 member of the house in each said committee who shall be appointed by the minority leader, and 1 member of the senate in each said committee who shall be appointed by the minority leader.

The commission shall study and report on topics including but not limited to the following: (i) the prevalence of synthetic cannabinoids in the correctional facilities of the commonwealth, (ii) the effects of the use of synthetic cannabinoids on incarcerated individuals in the correctional facilities of the commonwealth, (iii) the second-hand effects of synthetic cannabinoids on correctional officers, (iv) the frequency of exposure of correctional officers to synthetic cannabinoids, (v) best practices for correctional officers and staff to avoid exposure to the second-hand effects of synthetic cannabinoids, (vi) best practices for the prevention of the entry of synthetic opioids into correctional facilities.

The commission shall submit its findings to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on public safety & homeland security, the joint committee on mental health, substance use & recovery, the commissioner of the department of correction, the joint committee on the judiciary, the commissioner of the department of public health, and the secretary of the executive office of public safety & security not later than one year after the effective date of this act.