Jesse’s Law
Jesse’s Law is a proposed Massachusetts “duty to call 911” law that we are fighting for in our son and brother Jesse’s name, so no one else is left dying while people stand by and stay silent.
It would require bystanders who witness a life‑threatening emergency or obvious serious bodily injury to call 911, unless doing so would put them in danger or help is clearly already being summoned.
For us, Jesse’s Law is about a simple expectation: if someone is in clear medical distress, you call for help.
This law is how we take what we learned in the hardest way possible and turn it into concrete change in law, culture, and community behavior.
Help us move Jesse’s Law forward in Massachusetts.
Add your name to the petition calling for a duty to call 911 in life‑threatening emergencies.
Why Jesse’s Law
On March 24, 2023, Jesse was seriously injured at a gathering in Hatfield, Massachusetts. Others were there when it happened.
For roughly forty-five minutes, no one called 911.
That detail changed how we understood everything that followed.
Under current Massachusetts law, no one there was required to call for help.
There were no legal consequences for the people who watched, filmed, worried about getting in trouble, and still chose not to dial 911.
What happened to Jesse was devastating. It exposed a legal gap big enough for Jesse to fall through.
Jesse’s Law was proposed to address that gap.
What Jesse’s Law Would Do
We did not set out to write a law that asks people to be heroes.
We set out to create a clear, basic duty that reflects the kind of humanity we thought we could count on.
Jesse’s Law is a proposed “duty to call 911” measure. It focuses on one action: making the call when a situation is clearly life-threatening.
If someone witnesses a serious medical emergency or obvious serious bodily injury, the proposal would require that person to call 911 or notify emergency services.
The proposal also includes real-world exceptions. It would not apply if calling would put the bystander in danger. It would not apply if emergency responders are already clearly present. It would also account for situations where a person reasonably believes someone else has already called.
People who call for help in good faith would be protected from legal liability for trying to do the right thing.
In extreme cases of knowing inaction, the proposal would allow consequences. That could include civil fines, and in rare situations, misdemeanor penalties.
Jesse’s Law does not require anyone to provide medical care. It does not require physical intervention. It does not ask anyone to put themselves in harm’s way.
It asks for one thing: if someone is hurt, call for help.
How This Fits in a Bigger Picture
We are not the first people to ask for a duty to act.
Other states already have limited “duty to report” or “duty to assist” laws that require bystanders, in specific situations, to contact authorities or offer minimal aid.
States like Vermont, Minnesota, and Rhode Island have already decided that doing absolutely nothing in the face of a life‑threatening emergency is not acceptable.
Massachusetts currently has no general duty‑to‑call‑for‑help in emergencies.
We believe our state should reflect the same basic expectation: that we do not simply walk away when someone’s life is at stake.
Jesse’s Law is one way we say, together, what kind of community we want to be.
Our Change.org Petition
On June 8, 2025, we launched a Change.org petition titled “Pass Jesse’s Law: Require Bystanders to Call 911 in Emergencies in Massachusetts.”
It was the first time we shared the details publicly and tied them directly to what Massachusetts law does not currently require.
The petition introduces Jesse’s Law by name. It explains what the proposed legislation would do. It asks people to stand with us and push for change.
In the first few days, more than 6,000 people signed. Those names mattered. Each one signaled support for a clear duty to call 911 in a life-threatening emergency.
By late July 2025, we were nearing 7,000 signatures. That steady growth showed the support wasn’t fleeting.
The petition is still one of the main ways people find this effort, learn what Jesse’s Law proposes, and show legislators that this matters.
When a life‑threatening emergency happens, calling 911 should never be optional.
How You Can Help Us Move Jesse’s Law Forward
Jesse’s Law is now in the hands of legislators—and in the hands of every person who believes that calling 911 in a life‑threatening emergency should be the bare minimum.