HD 2453

An Act to Promote the Safety of Victims of Violence

This bill would require acute care hospitals to have a safety plan for all victims of violence and to explain the plan and offer options to such individuals instead of just releasing them back into a dangerous situation. Several hospitals currently have policies for victims of domestic violence who would be at known risk if they returned home. This would mandate that all hospitals have such plans for every victim, including victims of violent crime.

Sponsors

Previous:	New
Sponsor:	Byron Rushing

Co-Sponsors:

"Private Citizen"

Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Linda Dorcena Forry	Michael Rush
Anthony Petruccelli	Jarrett T. Barrios
Steven A. Tolman	Kevin G. Honan
John A. Hart, Jr.	Willie Mae Allen
Elizabeth A. Malia	Mary E. Grant
Kay Khan	John W. Scibak
Michael Festa	Peter Koutoujian
William Lantigua

HD 2570

An Act to Amend the MOVA (Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance) Funding Formula for Funeral Compensation

This bill would increase the allowance for funeral expenses granted to families of victims of violent crime from $4,000 to $7,500.

Sponsors

Previous:	New
Sponsor:	Marie P. St. Fleur

Co-Sponsors:

"Private Citizen"

Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Linda Dorcena Forry	Michael Rush
Kevin G. Honan	Elizabeth A. Malia
Benjamin Swan	William Lantigua
Byron Rushing	Gloria Fox

HD 2684

An Act to Restrict the Sale of Video Games with Violent Content to Minors

This bill would make it a crime to sell video games containing violent material to minors by amending the Harmful to Minors Statute, which currently encompasses sexual content to make it also apply to violent material, and ensure that this rule would be applied to interactive media (not just films and books).

Sponsors

Previous:	New
Sponsor:	Linda Dorcena Forry

Co-Sponsors:

"Private Citizen"

Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Linda Dorcena Forry	Michael Rush
Anthony Petruccelli	Steven A. Tolman
Kevin G. Honan	John A. Hart, Jr.
Willie Mae Allen	Marie St. Fleur
Michael Festa	Elizabeth A. Malia
Kay Khan	Jeffrey Sanchez

HD 2757

An Act to Improve Access to Nutritious Foods and Physical Activity

This bill would do three things: (1) establish a school wellness implementation advisory council jointly chaired by the department of education and the department of public health; (2) create pilot programs for healthier school lunches and enhanced school fitness offerings; and (3) establish a food policy council jointly chaired by the department of agriculture and the department of public health.

Sponsors

Previous:	New
Sponsor:	Linda Dorcena Forry

Co-Sponsors:

"Private Citizen"

Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Jarrett Barrios	Michael Rush
Steven A. Tolman	Kevin G. Honan
John A. Hart, Jr.	Willie Mae Allen
Elizabeth A. Malia	Kay Khan
John W. Scibak

HD 2598

An Act to Develop a System of After-School and Out-of-School Time in the Commonwealth

This legislation would create a coordinated system of out of school time services for children and youth and their families. This system shall respond to the needs of individual communities, and shall support both the expansion of out of school time programs and quality improvement in such programs.

Sponsors

Sponsor:

Previous:	H. 2830 from the 05-06 session
Marie St. Fleur

Co-Sponsors:

"Private Citizen"

Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Michael Rush	Elizabeth A. Malia
Willie Mae Allen	Gloria L. Fox
Michael Festa

HD 3617

An Act Relative to Child Passenger Safety

This bill would make changes in the current child restraint laws. Currently children only have to use these restraints until they are age 4 or 40 lbs. and then they can use the safety belt. Many children however are not ready physically for the seat belt and the Boston Public Health Department would like to change the law to age 8 or 57 inches in height.

Sponsors

Sponsor:

Previous:	H. 1896 from 05-06 session
Anthony Petruccelli

Co-Sponsors:

"Private Citizen"

Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Michael Rush	Elizabeth A. Malia
Kevin G. Honan	Kay Khan
John W. Scibak

HD 2758

An Act Relative to Reporting Child Abuse

This would require DSS to also report child abuse to local law enforcement officials so that a case can be built against anyone who abuses a DSS child. Often law enforcement does not hear about cases of abuse until it is too late - this will help protect children more effectively.

Sponsors

Sponsor:

Previous:	H. 1874 from the 03-04 session
Martin Walsh	"Private Citizen"	Thomas M. Menino, Mayor City of Boston

Michael Rush

Elizabeth A. Malia