HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3985        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4150

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mike Connolly and Jack Patrick Lewis

_________________

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 banning the use of tear gas by law enforcement.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

2/19/2021

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/19/2021

Nika C. Elugardo

15th Suffolk

2/26/2021

Natalie M. Higgins

4th Worcester

9/3/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3985        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4150

By Messrs. Connolly of Cambridge and Lewis of Framingham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4150) of Mike Connolly, Jack Patrick Lewis and others relative to banning the use of tear gas by law enforcement.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act banning the use of tear gas by law enforcement.

 

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

Chapter 6 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 116K, as added by chapter 253 of the acts of 2020, the following section:-

SECTION 116L. (a) No law enforcement officer, law enforcement agency or department shall purchase, obtain, use or allow to be used for law enforcement purposes on any person, a chemical or substance that can produce rapidly in humans, sensory irritation or disabling physical effects within a short time of exposure. Examples of such substance include “tear gas” or “CS gas”.

(b) Whoever violates this section shall be punished by a criminal fine of $5,000.