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H 885

Resolve providing for a special commission on the field of emergency management

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Dave Vieira

Creates a 21-member commission to study and recommend professionalizing Massachusetts emergency management—funding, education, scholarships, licensure—with a 1-year report.

Resolve reported favorably by committee as changed and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · H 885

Summary: House Bill H.885 — Resolve Providing for a Special Commission on the Field of Emergency Management

Overview

H.885, introduced February 27, 2025 by Representative David T. Vieira, establishes a special commission to study and make recommendations on developing emergency management as a professional field in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The bill seeks to advance professionalization, education, funding, and licensure for emergency management directors and related professionals.

  • Hearing: Scheduled for October 22, 2025, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM, in Room A-2.
  • Related history: Similar matter previously filed as House No. 740 in the 2023-2024 session.
  • Primary focus: Create a 21-member special commission to examine how emergency management can be standardized, funded, and credentialed across communities and institutions in Massachusetts.

What the bill would do

  • Establish a special commission titled the “special commission on the field of emergency management” to study and make recommendations on developing the emergency management profession in Massachusetts.
  • Define key terms to frame the study, including:
    • Emergency Management
    • Emergency Management Field
    • Professionalization
    • Disaster (as defined by FEMA)
  • Task the commission with examining four main initiatives (see below) and reporting its findings to the General Court within 365 days after the first meeting.

Commission composition

The commission would consist of 21 members, including:
- 6 members of the General Court
- The House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security (or their designees)
- The House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Covid-19 and Emergency Preparedness and Management (or their designees)
- 1 member appointed by the House minority leader and 1 by the Senate minority leader
- The Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (or designee)
- The Director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (or designee)
- Two representatives from FEMA (Region I) appointed by the FEMA Administrator
- The Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police (or designee)
- The State Fire Marshal (or designee)
- Three local emergency management directors appointed by the Governor
- Two academic representatives appointed by the Governor from IAEM’s list of five names
- Two representatives appointed by the Division of Professional Licensure
- Two representatives appointed by the Governor from VOAD (Massachusetts Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) names

Four study initiatives (Section 3)

The commission would study and make recommendations on:
1) Funding of directorships: Evaluate funding options for emergency management director positions across all 351 municipalities, prioritizing roles focused solely on emergency management.
2) Education programs: Identify institutions and funding needed to establish emergency management programs to train emergency management professionals (associates and directors).
3) Scholarships: Explore scholarship opportunities for higher education programs in emergency management.
4) Licensure: Consider establishing a licensure process for emergency management directors that aligns with federal and interstate licensure developments, aiming for professional accountability and credibility (similar to other licensed professions).

Timeline and process

  • Final report due: 365 days after the commission’s first meeting (to the clerks of the Senate and House and the chairs of the relevant committees).
  • Status and actions: Referred to the Emergency Preparedness and Management committee on February 27, 2025; Senate concurrence noted; hearing scheduled for October 2025.

Potential impact

  • Creates a formal pathway toward professionalizing emergency management in Massachusetts, including potential licensure and standardized qualifications.
  • Encourages coordinated funding strategies for municipal emergency management leadership across all communities.
  • Promotes education and scholarship development to build a trained workforce in EM.
  • Involves multiple sectors (state agencies, local governments, academia, professional licensure, FEMA, and disaster-oriented NGOs) to align state practices with federal standards.
  • May lead to regulatory or statutory changes depending on the commission’s recommendations, including licensure frameworks and funding models for EM leadership roles.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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