Massachusetts Emergency Management and Homeland Security Authorities Summarized

Publication Date: March 2004

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Government

Type:

Coverage: Massachusetts

Abstract:

The Massachusetts statutory code incorporates emergency management with civil defense authorities. The governor has power to control emergency management activities, exercise control over private and public resources in a state of emergency, and enter into agreements with the federal and other state governments. The Defense Council advises the governor on civil defense matters, and the director of civil defense is responsible for the state Emergency Management Agency. Political subdivisions establish local organizations for civil defense. Continuity of government provisions require state officers and directors to list five persons who can serve if such a position is vacant due to absence or disability. Funding from the Commonwealth security trust fund supports emergency response and responding to terrorism.

This report is one of a series that profiles emergency management and homeland security statutory authorities of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each profile identifies the more significant elements of state statutes, generally as codified. Congressional readers may wish to conduct further searches for related provisions using the Internet link presented in the last section of this report. The National Conference of State Legislatures provided primary research assistance in the development of these profiles under contract to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Summary information on all of the profiles is presented in CRS Report RL32287. This report will be updated as developments warrant.