Amendment #137 to H4617

Expanding access to drinking water in public places

Representatives Hecht of Watertown, Dykema of Holliston, Khan of Newton, Koczera of New Bedford, Hawkins of Attleboro, Gentile of Sudbury, Rogers of Cambridge, Scaccia of Boston, Provost of Somerville, McMurtry of Dedham, Lewis of Framingham, DuBois of Brockton, Williams of Springfield and Tyler of Boston move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

SECTION XX.

Section 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be established a Special Commission on Access to Drinking Water in Public Places. The Commission shall evaluate the public health benefits of and options for expanding access to drinking water in public places, including but not limited to parks, playgrounds, schools, libraries, other public buildings, bicycle and pedestrian paths, stadiums, arenas, and commercial, cultural, and other properties generally open to the public.

Section 2. The Commission shall consist of 13 members, 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of public health or a designee, who shall serve as chair, 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the secretary of transportation or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of environmental protection or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of conservation and recreation or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the administrator of the Board of Building Regulations and Standards or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the president of the Massachusetts Water Works Association or a designee, 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association or a designee, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a public health advocacy organization, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a water access advocacy organization, and 1 of whom shall be the director of the Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity at Harvard University School of Public Health or a designee.

Section 3. The Commission shall first convene within 60 days of the effective date of this Act, and not less than bi-monthly thereafter, and shall file a report with the Joint Committee on Public Health not later than 180 days after first convening.  The report shall (a) present current scientific evidence on the health and other benefits of adequate water consumption, including but not limited to consumption by school-age children; (b) present currently available data on water consumption among Massachusetts residents by age, place of residence, gender, race, income, and other demographic factors; (c) evaluate current laws, regulations, and policies regarding access to drinking water in public places in Massachusetts; (d) evaluate current obstacles to access to drinking water in public places in Massachusetts; and (e) make recommendations for changes to policies, regulations, and legislation in order to expand access to drinking water in public places in Massachusetts.  The commission shall be empowered to hold regular public meetings, fact-finding hearings and other public forums as it considers necessary.  Members shall not receive compensation for their services.