PAX Centurion - May / June 2015

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • June/July 2015 • Page 17 Heard on the Hill: Lawrence A. Calderone, BPPA Legislative Agent Legislators utilizing “old rules” to keep legislation rolling T he last six weeks have been very interesting times on Beacon Hill. Although the “Rules” for the current Legislative Ses- sion have not yet been agreed upon; Legislators are moving forward utilizing the old “Rules” because it’s in the best interest of the Public to get business moving. On May 12, 2015, House Bill 2339 (An Act Relative to Retired Boston Police Of- ficers) was heard in The Public Service Commit- tee Hearing. As you know, this Bill was filed by Representative Dan Hunt from Dorchester. This new law would allow the Police Com- missioner of the City of Boston to appoint retired Boston Police Of- ficers as “Special Police Officers” in order to perform police details or any imperative duties during the course of police detail work. Testimony was given, the Bill was voted on favorably by The Com- mittee, and has since been referred to The Committee on House Steering, Policy, and Scheduling. We hope to continue moving this Bill as swiftly as possible through the legislative process and will keep you informed on its’ progress. The following is an update on the list of Bills we are following and the committee it’s been assigned: House Bill 1199 : AnAct Relative to anAssault on a Police Of- ficer Responding to Criminal Activity. This Bill was filed by Representative Michael Brady of Brockton. It intends to insert a new section into the Chapter 265 13D Law. It would make it a felony toAssault a police officer while responding to criminal activity in the performance of his/her duties, where the assault and battery results in injury to the officer. It shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years or by fine of not more than $1,000.00 and imprisonment in a jail or house of correc- tion for not more than 2 and ½ years. This Bill is currently assigned to The Judiciary Committee . House Bill 1511 : AnAct Relative to Impeding the Flow of Traffic on a PublicWay.” This Bill was filed by Representative David Nagle of Lowell. It calls for a fine ranging from $500 to a maximum of $5,000. In addition to the fine or without the fine, the offender may face imprisonment for up to one year for “intentionally and without lawful authority” impeding or interfering with traffic on a public street or highway. If convicted, subsequent of- fenses would be met with fines of $2,500 to $10,000 and/or imprison- ment of up to one year. This Bill is also currently assigned to The Judiciary Committee. House Bill 2113: AnAct Relative to Critical Incident Intervention by Emergency Service Providers. This Bill was filed by Representative Edward Coppinger of West Roxbury. It intends to amend the Mass General Laws by adding Chapter 148B, “Emergency Service Critical Incident Providers Confidentiality”. This Bill is cur- rently assigned to The Committee on Public Safety & Homeland Security. House Bill 2318: AnAct Relative to Increasing Killed- in-the-Line-of-Duty Benefits for Public Employees. This Bill was filed by Representative Thomas Golden Jr. of Lowell. It intends to increase Killed-in-the-Line-of- Duty benefits from $100,000.00 to $250,000.00 for subsections C thru F (Police, Fire, EMS, Correction Officers, Higher Ed Officers, and more LE Personnel). This Bill is cur- rently assigned to The Committee on Public Service and has been concurred with by the Senate. House Bill 2964: AnAct to establish a Commission on Concur- rent PoliceAuthority for Massachusetts Port Authority Properties. This Bill was filed by Representative Nick Collins of Dorchester. It intends to provide concurrent jurisdiction on all Port Authority prop- erties with the Massachusetts State Police and the municipality where the property is located (other than aviation and port operation). This Bill has been assigned to The Committee on Transportation. House Bill 3467 (formally HD3284): An act relative to public safety and public health worker protections” (infectious disease trans- mitted by bodily fluid). This legislation was filed by Representative Nick Collins of Dorchester on the behalf of the BPPA and Boston EMS. The bill applies to any first responder, police officer, fire fighter, emergency medical tech- nician, corrections officer, ambulance operator or attendant who, while act- ing in his/her professional capacity, attends, assists, or transports a person to a health care facility and has an “unprotected expo- sure capable of transmit- ting an infectious disease dangerous to the public health.” This would ultimately allow the court to issue an order compelling the testing of a patients’ blood or bodily fluid for infectious disease. This docket has not yet received a “Bill” number. This Bill has been given an official See Legislation on page 55