Massachusetts H 2458: An Act relative to the safe handling of hazardous drugs

Bill Text

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1342 FILED ON: 1/18/2017
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2458

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Denise C. Garlick
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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 adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to the safe handling of hazardous drugs.
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PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Denise C. Garlick 13th Norfolk 1/18/2017
Tackey Chan 2nd Norfolk 1/18/2017
John J. Lawn, Jr. 10th Middlesex 1/18/2017
Claire D. Cronin 11th Plymouth 1/18/2017
Steven Ultrino 33rd Middlesex 1/18/2017
Paul McMurtry 11th Norfolk 1/18/2017
Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr. 28th Middlesex 1/18/2017
Chris Walsh 6th Middlesex 1/18/2017
Daniel Cahill 10th Essex 1/18/2017
Richard J. Ross Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex 1/18/2017
Brendan P. Crighton Third Essex 1/18/2017
Julian Cyr Cape and Islands 1/18/2017
James Arciero 2nd Middlesex 1/18/2017
Paul Tucker 7th Essex 1/18/2017

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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1342 FILED ON: 1/18/2017
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2458
By Ms. Garlick of Needham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2458) of Denise C.
Garlick and others relative to the safe handling of certain hazardous drugs. Public Health.

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3995 OF 2015-2016.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)
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An Act relative to the safe handling of hazardous drugs.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Chapter 111 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition,
2 is hereby amended by adding after section 235, the following new section:-
3 Section 236. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following
4 meanings:—
5 “Antineoplastic drug”, a chemotherapeutic agent that controls or kills cancer cells.
6 “Hazardous drugs”, shall include any drug identified by the national institute for
7 occupational safety and health at the centers for disease control or any drug that meets at least
8 one of the following six criteria: Carcinogenicity, teratogenicity or developmental toxicity,
9 reproductive toxicity in humans, organ toxicity at low doses in humans or animals, genotoxicity,
10 or new drugs that mimic existing hazardous drugs in structure of toxicity.

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11 (b) The Department of Public Health shall promulgate regulations for the handling of
12 antineoplastic and other hazardous drugs in health care facilities. Said regulations shall consider
13 input from hospitals, organizations representing health care personnel, other stakeholders and
14 shall consider reasonable time for facilities to implement new regulations. The regulations will
15 be consistent with provisions adopted by the national institute for occupational safety and
16 health’s 2004 alert on preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic and other hazardous
17 drugs in health care settings and updates. The department’s regulations may incorporate updates
18 and changes to the institute’s guidelines as made by the centers for disease control and
19 prevention. The department may by regulation establish enforcement procedures and fines for
20 violations of the provisions of this section.