Amendment #375 to H4000

PFAS Public Safety Fund

Mr. Hawkins of Attleboro moves to amend the bill in section 2, in item 0000-0000, by adding the following: "not less than $1,000,000 shall be expended for the PFAS Public Safety Fund."

and by adding the following section:

SECTION  XXXX.

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 purchasing of  PFAS-free Firefighter Turnout Gear 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.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #375 to H4000

PFAS Public Safety Fund