SENATE DOCKET, NO. 107        FILED ON: 1/7/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Michael O. Moore

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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 the establishment of the PFAS Research and Development Public Safety Fund.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 107        FILED ON: 1/7/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1559 OF 2023-2024.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act relative to the establishment of the PFAS Research and Development Public Safety Fund.

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 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 2DDDDDD following new section:-

Section 2EEEEEE. There shall be established and set up on the books of the Commonwealth a PFAS Public Safety Fund. For the purposes of this section, the term “PFAS” shall include Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances. The secretary of public safety and security shall administer the fund. The fund shall consist of amounts credited to the fund from: (i) any appropriations, grants, settlements, gifts or other money authorized by the general court or other parties and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; and (ii) any income derived from the investment of amounts credited to the fund. Any unexpended balance in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year. Amounts credited to the fund may be expended, without further appropriation, by the secretary on related programs, grants and costs. Such fund shall be used to support the development, testing and purchasing of a PFAS-free Firefighter Turnout Gear moisture barrier material and design that meet or exceed current NFPA standards without compromising protection or performance and the development and testing of other new materials and designs for turnout gear that reduce the inherent dangers firefighters face, including but not limited to, enhanced protection against primary and secondary exposure to particulates and byproducts of combustion and reduced maintenance that includes contamination resistance and greater ease of cleaning for any new technical fabrics or designs. Such fund shall also be used for programs, grants and costs for the disposal of turnout gear which contains PFAS.