The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bruce E. Tarr

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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 relative to positive discipline.

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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 relative to positive discipline.

                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 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after Section 24L the following new section:-

“SECTION 24M. Positive Discipline

Section 24M. The Department of Public Health shall collaborate with the Massachusetts Children’s Trust fund, the Department of Education, the Department of Early Education and Care, and the Department of Children and Families to develop and implement a comprehensive, state-wide public awareness campaign to expand the knowledge of parents, caregivers, and the general public on the advantages associated with use of positive parenting techniques to discipline children. For the purposes of this section, positive discipline is a non-violent, solution-focused approach to discipline that includes but is not limited to: clear communication of expectation, rules, and limits; building a mutually respectful relationship with the child; teaching the child life-long skills; and developing long-term solutions that develop the child’s own self-discipline.

Said campaign shall include, but is not limited to, the distribution to parents or guardians of a newborn, by the time of discharge from a hospital or birth center, of materials to be developed by the department of public health describing positive discipline benefits and strategies.”