reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 16 § 24a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 16 - Department of Highways|Section 24a - Taxation of Private Resource Recovery Facilities or Landfills

Section 24A. The operator of a privately owned or operated resource recovery facility or landfill shall pay to the city or town in which the facility or landfill is located a tax of one dollar per ton of solid waste processed at the facility. Said tax shall be increased every January first, effective January first, nineteen hundred and eighty-one by the percentage increase of the Boston Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for the twelve month period ending the previous October first. Such tax shall be in lieu of all taxes, fees, charges or assessments imposed by the city or town in which the facility or landfill is located, except for real estate taxes imposed solely upon the land on which the said facility or landfill is located. For purposes of this section, a solid waste disposal facility or resource recovery facility shall not include a transfer station.
MA Gen L ch 16 § 24b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 16 - Department of Highways|Section 24b - Taxation of Private Residual Waste Treatment Facilities

Section 24B. The operator of a privately owned or operated residual waste treatment facility shall pay to the city or town in which the facility is located a fee based upon the volume of residual waste received at the facility. Such fees shall be in lieu of all taxes, fees, charges or assessments imposed by the city or town in which the facility is located, except for real estate taxes imposed solely upon the land on which the said facility is located, and shall be prescribed by municipal ordinance or by-law within limits established in the rules and regulations of the department.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 1 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 1 - Composition of Department

Section 1. There shall be a department of public health, consisting of a commissioner of public health and a public health council.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 2 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 2 - Commissioner; Qualifications; Appointment and Term; Salary

Section 2. At the time of appointment, the commissioner shall be a graduate of an accredited four-year college or university and shall have had (a) not less than eight years of administrative experience of which at least three years shall have been in the organization, management or delivery of health care services; or (b) a doctorate or other degree beyond the level of baccalaureate in the field of business, economics, education, government, law, medicine, psychology, public administration, public health, public policy, social work, urban planning, or a field substantially related to one or more of the foregoing, and not less than five years of administrative experience of which at least two years shall have been in the organization, management or delivery of health care services. For the purposes of this section administrative experience shall mean service in a management or supervisory capacity. The secretary of health and human services, with the approval of the governor, shall appoint the commissioner who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary and may be removed by the secretary at any time, subject to the approval of the governor. The position of commissioner shall be classified in accordance with section forty-five of chapter thirty and the salary shall be determined in accordance with section forty-six C of said chapter thirty and, such commissioner shall devote his full time during business hours to the duties of his office. He shall be the executive and administrative head of the department.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 2a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 2a - Powers of Commissioner Upon Declaration of Emergency

Section 2A. Upon declaration by the governor that an emergency exists which is detrimental to the public health, the commissioner may, with the approval of the governor and the public health council, during such period of emergency, take such action and incur such liabilities as he may deem necessary to assure the maintenance of public health and the prevention of disease.  The commissioner, with the approval of the public health council, may establish procedures to be followed during such emergency to insure the continuation of essential public health services and the enforcement of the same.  Upon declaration by the governor that such emergency has terminated, all powers granted to and exercised by the commissioner under this section shall terminate.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 4a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 4a - Poison Information and Control Center

Section 4A. There shall be in the department a poison information and control center to accept inquiries and provide comprehensive, full-time, centralized professional information to cities and towns of the commonwealth. The department may through agencies of the commonwealth or by contract with private hospitals, institutions, agencies, individuals or groups provide for such facilities and services as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 5 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 5 - Deputy Commissioners

Section 5. The commissioner may, with the approval of the public health council, designate the director of one or more, but not more than three, divisions as deputy commissioners, who shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the commissioner, and he may, with like approval, designate one of the deputy commissioners to perform the duties of the commissioner during his absence or disability.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 6 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 6 - Assistant Directors, Treasurers, Superintendents, Inspectors and Other Employees

Section 6. The commissioner may, with the approval of the public health council, appoint assistant directors of divisions and epidemiologists, inspectors and other necessary employees. Persons appointed hereunder shall be subject to chapter thirty-one. The commissioner may require that a physician to be appointed under this section be certified as to his qualifications by one of the physicians' specialty boards approved by the Council on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association.  The commissioner, with the approval of the public health council, may appoint a treasurer for each institution, who shall give bond for the faithful performance of his duties, and may appoint a superintendent, physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, student nurses and other employees necessary for the proper administration of the affairs of the institution under the jurisdiction of the department and may incur all expenses necessary for the maintenance of the institutions. Subject to the bylaws of an institution under the control and supervision of the department, the commissioner may admit to the medical staff thereof physicians and other providers of health care who are not compensated by the commonwealth as either salaried employees or consultants. Such physicians and other providers of health care may directly bill patients and their health insurers or other third-party payors for the clinical services they furnish to patients at such institutions.  The superintendent of each hospital or other institution established in the department may act on behalf and in the place of the appointing authority for any action taken under the provisions of sections fifty-three to fifty-seven, inclusive, of chapter thirty and for any action taken under sections nine A, nine B and nine D of chapter thirty and sections forty-three, forty-five and forty-six A of chapter thirty-one, relative to the discharge, removal, suspension and lay-off of a person. For all other purposes, the commissioner shall be the appointing authority; provided, however, that he may delegate preliminary authority to negotiate collective bargaining agreements and other matters relative to the right of employees to organize, negotiate and bargain with employers under section five of chapter one hundred and fifty A and section one hundred and seventy-eight F of chapter one hundred and forty-nine and other applicable statutes.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 6a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 6a - Training Programs for Residents in Medical Specialties; Fellowships

Section 6A. Under the supervision of the commissioner, superintendents of hospitals under the control and supervision of the department may establish programs for the training of residents in medicine, and in such other specialties and subspecialties of medicine as he may deem necessary. The persons undergoing such training shall be designated as fellows and shall be eligible for training grants from the commonwealth, which grants shall be exempt from the provisions of chapter sixty-two. Recipients of said grants shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter thirty-one and shall not be deemed to be employees of the commonwealth. Approval of said training program by the personnel administrator shall be required in accordance with the provisions of section twenty-eight of chapter seven.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 6b (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 6b - Hearings Officer

Section 6B. The commissioner shall appoint a hearings officer who shall be an attorney and who shall not be subject to chapter thirty-one. He shall hold hearings as provided in chapter one hundred and eleven.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 7 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 7 - District Health Officers

Section 7. The commissioner, with the approval of the public health council, shall appoint a district health officer for each health district provided in section four of chapter one hundred and eleven. Such officers shall be graduates of incorporated medical schools, admitted to practice in the commonwealth, or shall have had at least five years' experience in public health duties and sanitary science, shall give their entire time to the performance of their duties, and shall be subject to chapter thirty-one.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 7a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 7a - Public Health Officers; Eligibility; Salaries

Section 7A. The commissioner, with the approval of the secretary of health and human services, may designate certain physicians and dentists employed by the department as public health officers; provided, however, that there shall be not more than ten public health officers in the department at any one time. In order to be eligible to be designated as a public health officer, an employee shall have received a doctor of medicine, doctor of dental medicine or equivalent degree from an accredited medical or dental school, and shall be fully registered to practice medicine or dentistry in the commonwealth, and shall be serving in a management position classified as a program manager specialist allocated to Job Group M–VII, M–VIII, M–IX, M–X, M–XI or M–XII in the management salary schedule in section forty-six C of chapter thirty. The salaries of the positions in which public health officers are serving shall, however, be determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (5A) of said section forty-six C and shall not be subject to paragraph (4) of section forty-five of said chapter thirty.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 11 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 11 - Commission on Hypertension

Section 11. There shall be in the department, but in no manner subject to its control, a commission on hypertension, hereinafter called the commission. The commission shall consist of three persons to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the council, who shall be members of the medical profession experienced in the fields of cardiovascular disease or public health, to serve for terms of one, two and three years, respectively, as he may designate. Upon the expiration of the term of a member, his successor shall be appointed in like manner for a term of three years. The members shall serve without compensation, but shall receive necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties. The chairman of the commission shall be elected by the members. Said commission shall keep informed of the research program relative to high blood pressure and its control established in the Lemuel Shattuck hospital, and may recommend any legislation it deems necessary to assist and promote said program.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 16 - Office of Violence Prevention; Duties

Section 16. There shall be in the department an office of violence prevention whose purpose shall be to coordinate and expand violence prevention activities, to reduce the incidences of interpersonal violence and intentional injury.  The duties of said office shall consist of the following:  (1) To integrate a violence prevention focus within the department of public health and those agencies which receive funding from the department;  (2) To develop collaborative relationships with other state agencies which are interested or active in the reduction of interpersonal violence including child abuse, youth violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and elderly abuse;  (3) To integrate violence prevention education into substance use and abuse prevention programs;  (4) To support the development of comprehensive community-based violence prevention initiatives within cities and towns across the state; and  (5) To develop sources of funding to maintain the office and expand its activities.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 18 - Bureau of Substance Addiction Services; Telephone Helpline; Website

Section 18. (a) There shall be a bureau of substance addiction services within the department.  (b) The bureau shall establish and advertise a free, anonymous and confidential toll-free telephone helpline that provides comprehensive, accurate and current information and referrals related to addiction treatment and prevention services. The helpline shall inform adult and juvenile callers on: (i) acute treatment service facilities and transitional support service facilities that have open beds; (ii) outpatient resources; and (iii) community-based services. The helpline shall be a resource for emergency departments, health centers, families, social workers and medical professionals to obtain information on how to get treatment for an individual who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. The administration of the helpline shall be coordinated with other departments and agencies to prevent the duplication of similar services. The operation of the helpline may be contracted to third parties; provided, however, that any such contracts shall be performance-based and subject to approval by the commissioner.  (c) The bureau shall establish a website that informs the public of acute treatment service facilities and transitional support service facilities that have open beds. The bureau shall update the website daily. The website shall provide the following information about each facility that has an open bed: (i) the name, address, telephone number and website of the facility; (ii) information about the types of payment that the facility accepts; and (iii) a description of the types of programs and services provided at the facility. The website shall also provide information about services available in each region of the commonwealth including, but not limited to, alcohol and drug free housing as defined in section 18A, outpatient services and community-based services.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 19 - Regulations Relative to Coordination of Care and Management; Discharge Planning for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs

Section 19. The department shall promulgate regulations relative to coordination of care and management that includes effective discharge planning for substance use disorder treatment programs subject to licensure or approval under sections 24 and 24D of chapter 90, sections 6 and 6A of chapter 111B and section 7 of chapter 111E. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to, a requirement that such substance use disorder treatment providers shall:  (1) provide enhanced care coordination and management, which shall include effective discharge planning that engages and educates the patient and the patient's outpatient medical and psychiatric providers to ensure continuity of care;  (2) provide a discharge plan to each client leaving a licensed substance use disorder treatment program, which shall include recommended follow-up treatment, contact information for certified alcohol and drug free housing pursuant to section 18A, additional resources for substance use disorder treatment, including information on United States Food and Drug Administration-approved medication assisted-treatment and the availability of such treatments in each geographic region of the commonwealth, resources for workforce options, information and links to community and social supports and information on family support services;  (3) provide patient specific treatment that is individualized based on the patient's past history of treatment, medical history, psychiatric history and social history;  (4) facilitate transitions from more intensive to less intensive treatment based on the patient's needs and response to treatment;  (5) upon admission, acquire informed consent from each patient regarding the risk and benefit of all medication assisted treatment options, as well as the risk and benefit of not receiving treatment;  (6) provide information to the patient prior to discharge about the patient's option to file a voluntary non-opiate directive form pursuant to section 18B of chapter 94C; and  (7) provide regular monitoring of patients' behavior and addressing relapse risks.  A discharge plan shall not include a referral or recommendation to alcohol and drug free housing unless such housing is certified pursuant to section 18A.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 20 - Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance Fund

Section 20. There shall be established and placed within the department of public health a fund to be known as the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance Fund, in this section referred to as the fund, to support innovative practices to prevent domestic and sexual violence and provide assistance to victims of domestic violence in the commonwealth. The fund shall be credited any appropriations, bond proceeds or other monies authorized by the general court, which may properly be applied in furtherance of the objectives of the fund, domestic and sexual violence prevention and victim assistance assessments, as specified in section 8 of chapter 258B, and any other monies which may be available for the purposes of the fund from any other source or sources. Any revenues, deposits, receipts or funds received shall be deposited in the fund and shall be available for the purposes described in this section, without further appropriation. Money remaining in the fund at the end of the year shall not revert to the General Fund.  The fund shall be under the control of the department of public health and not subject to appropriation. The fund shall be used for innovative practices, which shall include, but not be limited to: (i) community-based domestic and sexual violence prevention and assistance programs and service providers; (ii) multi-disciplinary teams addressing victims of domestic and sexual violence at high risk of homicide or fatality; and (iii) other programs and service providers that support victims of domestic and sexual violence.
MA Gen L ch 17 § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth|Chapter 17 - Department of Public Health|Section 21 - Promulgation of Regulations Relative to Patient Access to Hospital Emergency Rooms or Departments Requiring Hospitals to Meet Minimum Criteria and Standards That Ensure Safe, Timely and Accessible Patient Access to Hospital Emergency Rooms or Departments at All Times

Section 21. The department of public health shall promulgate regulations relative to patient access to hospital emergency rooms or departments that would require all hospitals in the commonwealth to meet minimum criteria and standards that ensure safe, timely and accessible patient access to hospital emergency rooms or departments at all times. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to: (a) criteria and standards related to: (1) legible indoor and outdoor signage; (2) indoor and outdoor lighting; (3) best-practice wayfinding signage; and (4) security and monitoring of all emergency department access points; (b) minimum requirements for proper security monitoring of any prominent hospital door or entrance that is locked at night and through which a patient may try to enter; and (c) any other safety feature that the department deems necessary to ensure daytime or nighttime entry to an emergency room or department.  In promulgating the regulations, the department shall: (a) ensure that all patients, including patients at all levels of physical, sensory and brain-based function, are able to access hospital emergency rooms or departments; and (b) consider the most-current published industry standards and best practices, including, but not limited to, standards under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, local codes, regulations, including regulations promulgated by the architectural access board, and any guidance or resources from the Facility Guidelines Institute Inc. and the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety.