The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Allen J. McCarthy

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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 passage of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a special commission on improper needle disposal in public recreation areas.

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PETITION OF:

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand and Nine

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An Act establishing a special commission on improper needle disposal in public recreation areas.

                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. (a) There shall be established a special commission to study the improper disposal of hypodermic needles in public parks and other recreation areas.  The commission shall consist of 3 members of the senate, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president and 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader; provided, however, that 1 member of the senate shall be designated as co-chair of the commission; 3 members of the house of representatives, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house and one of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader; provided, however, that 1 member of the house shall be designated as co-chair of the commission; the commissioner of the department of public health or his designee; the commissioner of the department of environmental protection or her designee; a representative of the Massachusetts Municipal Association; a representative of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association; and a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards.

(b) The organizational session of the commission shall be convened by the co-chairs not later than 60 days after the effective date of this act.

(c) The special commission shall investigate and study the risks to public health and safety posed by hypodermic needles and syringes that have been improperly discarded in public parks, playgrounds, beaches, and other public recreation areas and methods for mitigating those risks.  The study shall include, but not be limited to: (1) the scope and nature of the risks posed to the public by improperly discarded needles in public recreation areas; (2) strategies for source reduction, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of devices with engineered sharps injury prevention features; (3) the effectiveness of the existing collection infrastructure as utilized by those who use needles in public recreation areas; (4) methods for enforcing relevant statutes and regulations; (5) policies for regular and safe removal of needles that are improperly discarded in these areas; (6) methods to sustainably finance the committee’s recommendations; (7) an evaluation of existing education and outreach efforts and possible adjustments to those efforts based on the committee’s recommendations; and (8) any other matters that the special commission considers relevant to the fulfillment of its mission and purpose.

(d) The special commission shall make its final report and recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the House and Senate clerks’ offices not later than 12 months after the effective date of this act.  The special commission may make such interim reports as it considers appropriate.