It gives local authorities the permission to enter private residences for investigation and to quarantine individuals.
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“While Massachusetts residents were sleeping, our Legislature rushed through a bill- in response to the recent “Swine flu” outbreak.
This bill has been on the shelf but (the) state government felt this was the perfect time to slip this bill through.
What is the big deal about the bill- S18? It gives the Governor power to authorize the deployment and use of force to distribute supplies and materials.
It gives local authorities the permission to enter private residences for investigation and to quarantine individuals.
Basically during any “emergency” our state can and will declare martial law; you lose your Constitutional rights.
This bill has many disturbing facets.” -From the Blog Ride Tide
From a separate source:
“It took corporate media swine flu hysteria to ram through a martial law bill in Massachusetts. S18 gives the Governor the power to authorize the deployment and use of force to distribute supplies and materials and local authorities will be allowed to enter private residences for investigation and to quarantine individuals.
The Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed a pandemic flu preparation bill that has languished in the Legislature before the recent “swine flu” outbreak.
The 36-0 vote today sends the measure to the House. Both branches have taken it up in past years, but have not been able to agree on the details.
The new Senate version would allow the public health commissioner – in a public health emergency – to close or evacuate buildings, enter private property for investigations, and quarantine individuals.
The bill specifically mandates the following:
(1) to require the owner or occupier of premises to permit entry into and investigation of the premises;
(2) to close, direct, and compel the evacuation of, or to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated any building or facility, and to allow the reopening of the building or facility when the danger has ended;
(3) to decontaminate or cause to be decontaminated, or to destroy any material;
(4) to restrict or prohibit assemblages of persons;
(5) to require a health care facility to provide services or the use of its facility, or to transfer the management and supervision of the health care facility to the department or to a local public health authority;
(6) to control ingress to and egress from any stricken or threatened public area, and the movement of persons and materials within the area;
(7) to adopt and enforce measures to provide for the safe disposal of infectious waste and human remains, provided that religious, cultural, family, and individual beliefs of the deceased person shall be followed to the extent possible when disposing of human remains, whenever that may be done without endangering the public health;
(8) to procure, take immediate possession from any source, store, or distribute any anti-toxins, serums, vaccines, immunizing agents, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical agents or medical supplies located within the commonwealth as may be necessary to respond to the emergency;
(9) to require in-state health care providers to assist in the performance of vaccination, treatment, examination, or testing of any individual as a condition of licensure, authorization, or the ability to continue to function as a health care provider in the commonwealth” – Bill 122460
PDF of the actual Bill: http://s18.notlong.com
Source:
dprogram.wordpress.com 
So they can FORCE a DR or other med personnell to administer vaccines that they may know are useless, or even dangerous? apart from all the other over the top rulings..
land of the no longer free and home of the paranoid!
I see nothing wrong with governments having unusual powers in emergencies. Although this bill is presented with the idea of a flu epidemic the notion of plutonium in the hands of a terrorist inside a tall building would also be covered. The ability to apply emergency solutions in the fastest way humanly possible just might save a major city. There really are situations where debate and delay could be lethal to huge numbers of people.
Jim, the issue is that this law is setting a precedent for further events. This is a very slippery slope. The fact that you can be taken away and have your personal possessions destroyed based on you having a strain of “swine flu” is unconstitutional on MANY levels and just outright invasive. We already have protocols in place during emergency situations.
I see nothing wrong with governments having unusual powers in emergencies. Although this bill is presented with the idea of a flu epidemic the notion of plutonium in the hands of a terrorist inside a tall building would also be covered. The ability to apply emergency solutions in the fastest way humanly possible just might save a major city. There really are situations where debate and delay could be lethal to huge numbers of people.
Unless its a perpetual emergency,wait isnt that what you have in the US of A
How do we go about repealing this? Does anybody know of any groups that are trying to?
Where is the bill in the Massachussetts State Senate?
Where is the bill in the Massachussetts House of Representatives
S Bailey. article said Senate Passed already.
Up for the House appro. I don,t live there, hows about you Look?
I suggest early am morning just before a major holiday? as a time this sort of law seems to get snuk in !!!