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Bill H.2471
Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 244 the following section:-
Section 245. “Period(s) of Excessive Heat”, a period of time greater than three hours exceeding in temperature 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and/or of a heat index greater than 95 degrees Fahrenheit as determined by the National Weather Service.
“Cooling Measures” and “Cooling Centers”, air conditioned publicly accessible building with a capacity of fifty or more individuals as determined by the state building code 780 CMR; and/or a dedicated cooling tent with an internal temperature less than 75 degrees Fahrenheit, and a capacity greater than 50 persons given natural body posture that is established and maintained by the city or town or the Commonwealth.
All cities and towns in the commonwealth shall provide for their populations cooling centers during periods of excessive heat. Access to these facilities shall be provided free of charge to the residents of the city or town providing the service. The cooling centers must open no later than one hour following the predicted beginning of the period of excessive heat, and close no earlier than one hour after the period of excessive heat has concluded, or the ambient outside temperature has dropped below eighty degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service, whichever occurs first. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall have the power to repurpose facilities under their ownership for the purposes of creating a cooling center in municipalities that do not otherwise have a cooling center.
The responsibility for funding and maintaining the aforementioned measures of cooling shall fall upon the cities and towns in which they exist, except for those otherwise maintained by the state of Massachusetts. The cooling center shall not require a proof of residency for accessing the facility.
Municipalities for which the construction and/or operation and maintenance of a cooling center would pose an undue burden may apply for an exemption to this bill from the Department of Public Health.
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