Massachusetts legislation · 194th General Court
Massachusetts H4938: An Act concerning the safety of autistic and alzheimer individuals
Status: In committee, July 9, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, January 23, 2026:
Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 86 the following section:- Section 87. (a) Definitions. As used in the section: (i) “Technology-Assisted Tracking Device” shall mean any wearable device that complies with the following imperatives: a)Waterproof and able to function under water (which is a major destination as seen above), compliant with IP66 and IP68 standards b) Works indoors or under cover (Radio Frequency is the best technology for this), and does not need direct line of sight to the sky (GPS) c) Not dependent on third-party public communication networks (such as cellular, GSM, GPRS, or similar as these are NOT prevalent everywhere) d) Wrist or ankle strap needs to be tamper-resistant, but changeable by the caregiver directly e) System specifics need to avoid false alarms in order not to waste LE and SAR time, and have a patient specific code for each device so as to avoid mistaken identities (b) A health benefit plan shall provide full coverage, subject to all applicable co-payments, coinsurance, deductibles, and out-of-pocket limits, for insured individuals who are diagnosed by a license physician with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or Autism spectrum Disorder, to obtain a Technology-Assisted Tracking Device if they or their guardian choose.
Sponsors
- Services, Joint Committee on Financial (I) · primary sponsor
- Colleen Garry (D)
Latest actions
- : Reporting date extended to Thursday, December 31, 2026
- : Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Health Care Financing
- : New draft of H1171
- : Reported from the committee on Financial Services
Votes
- Committee Vote - Joint Committee on Financial Services (January 5, 2026): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is H4938?
- H4938 is a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature (194th General Court): An Act concerning the safety of autistic and alzheimer individuals.
- What is the status of H4938?
- In committee as of July 9, 2026. Latest action: Reporting date extended to Thursday, December 31, 2026 (July 9, 2026).
- Who sponsored H4938?
- Services, Joint Committee on Financial (I), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for H4938?
- On the Massachusetts Legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4938
Source: official Massachusetts record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.