Important Public Safety Bills Released from Committee

May 9, 2024

Recently, the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security issued a report recommending that certain bills ought to pass and that their consideration be scheduled by the full House. We are pleased to announce that this list of bills included several bills that were filed or co-sponsored by Rep. Xiarhos.

Here’s what you need to know:

H.2422 – Matt’s Law (filed by Rep. Xiarhos)

In August 2022, Corrections Officer Matt Tidman was brutally attacked by an inmate at MCI Shirley who used a free weight from the prison gym as a weapon. Rep. Xiarhos filed House Bill 2422, known as “Matt’s Bill,” to require exercise equipment to be secured and ban free weights at medium and maximum-security prisons in the state. Officer Tidman and his family joined Rep. Xiarhos to testify in favor of the legislation this past January.

H.2421 Active Shooter Response Training (filed by Rep. Xiarhos)

Protecting our schools and keeping kids and teachers safe is a top priority. Rep. Xiarhos filed H.2421 to require the Secretary of Public Safety to establish a statewide Active Shooter/Hostile Events Response (ASHER) Program, which would develop and implement standard training requirements to achieve an integrated preparedness, response, and recovery for active shooter or hostile event situations in the Commonwealth, consistent with nationally-recognized standards.

H. 2423 Nero’s Law Update (filed by Rep. Xiarhos)

The Legislature passed Nero’s Law in 2022 to provide emergency medical treatment for police dogs injured in the line of duty. This law was a signature accomplishment for Rep. Xiarhos, and was inspired out of the tragic 2018 incident where Yarmouth PD Sgt. Sean Gannon was killed and his police K9, Nero, was seriously injured. House Bill 2423 carries the law forward by making clarifications to allow advanced life support treatment to be rendered by properly-trained personnel in emergency situations.

H. 2424 Dakota’s Law (filed by Rep. Xiarhos)

Rep. Xiarhos also is the sponsor of House Bill 2424, known as Dakota’s Law. This bill also is an important next step following the passage of Nero’s Law. Dakota’s Law would establish a state fund to provide benefits (subject to annual appropriation) to care for police dogs after they retire from active duty.

Other Bills

Rep. Xiarhos is proud to be a co-sponsor of House Bill 2322 (filed by Rep. Durant) to study and investigate post traumatic stress disorder in law enforcement officers and to make recommendations for which methods, practices and programs, including existing programs in the commonwealth, are most effective in preventing and treating post traumatic stress disorder in police officers.

He also co-sponsored H. 2339 (filed by Rep. Hawkins) to reduce and eventually eliminate toxic chemicals that are contained in protective equipment worn by firefighters. And, he is a co-sponsor of H. 2321 (filed by Rep. Donahue) to upgrade fire standards in statewide light frame construction, especially in multi-unit dwellings.

Collectively, these bills now move out of committee to the full House for consideration later this legislative session. If you support these bills, please contact your Representative and Senator and let them know!