Bill > S887

This bill aims to prevent and respond to bullying of elderly and disabled residents in covered residential communities, which are defined as publicly or privately-owned, multifamily housing developments subsidized by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Prohibiting bullying, including cyber-bullying, group or social bullying, and mobbing, on residential property and grounds, at owner/manager or resident-sponsored activities, and through the use of owner/manager-owned technology or electronic devices. 2. Requiring the Attorney General's civil rights division to publish a model plan and training curricula, create a list of bullying prevention resources, and conduct biennial surveys to assess the prevalence and effectiveness of bullying prevention efforts. 3. Mandating that each covered residential community develop and implement a bullying prevention and intervention plan in consultation with residents, staff, and local law enforcement. 4. Specifying the required elements of the plan, such as procedures for reporting and investigating bullying, remedial actions, and strategies for protecting victims and witnesses. 5. Obligating owner/managers to provide annual written notice of the plan to residents and employees, and to ensure biennial training for all employees. 6. Holding owner/managers responsible for implementing and overseeing the plan, and requiring staff to immediately report any instances of bullying or retaliation.