News

Massachusetts Senate wants committee to investigate ATM safety

Bill S.2251 would create a commission to review the feasibility of enhanced safety and security features at bank and non-bank ATMs across the commonwealth.

July 17, 2014

The Massachusetts Senate Joint Committee on Financial Services is sponsoring a bill that calls for the establishment of a commission to study "the pervasiveness and characteristics of criminal activity at automated teller machines, as well as possible means by which to better protect users of automated teller machines located in Massachusetts."

Bill S.2251, "An Act improving safety at Automated Teller Machines," would create a commission to review the feasibility of enhanced safety and security features at bank and non-bank ATMs in the commonwealth. Protective measures to be considered include:

• reflective mirrors or surfaces and adequate lighting features in areas surrounding ATMs; 
• surveillance cameras to record all persons entering, exiting and moving within range of or about an ATM; 
• entry doors equipped with locking devices at an enclosed ATM facility; 
• a dedicated means to establish an immediate connection to a 911 emergency number either by a call button or telephone; 
• programming ATMs to alert local law enforcement following a person’s use of an emergency personal identification number; 
• parking restrictions in the area surrounding an enclosed ATM facility.

The commission would also be charged with the development of criteria to categorize, if necessary, differing levels of security required for ATMs based on their geographic location within Massachusetts.

The proposed 15-member commission would include a member of the division of banks, who would serve as chairperson, various legislators and representatives from: the Massachusetts Bankers Association; the non-bank ATM sector; a credit union; the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association; the insurance industry; the Retailers Association of Massachusetts; and a consumer group.

The commission would have 12 months from enactment of the legislation to file a report of its findings.

Public concern over the safety of ATM users has run high in Massachusetts since the July 2013 abduction and murder of 24-year-old Amy Lord, who was kidnapped during an early morning run and forced to withdraw funds from several ATMs around the Boston area before being stabbed to death.