HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3394        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 114

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patricia A. Duffy, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act studying technology impacts on police, firefighters, and emergency and security personnel.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3394        FILED ON: 2/19/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 114

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act studying technology impacts on police, firefighters, and emergency and security personnel.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The legislature finds and confirms all of the following:-

Whereas, reputable, peer-reviewed evidence shows wireless frequencies may cause or promote cancer, heart disease, memory loss, mood changes, disease and disability.

Whereas, police and other emergency personnel are often required to experience high power density of wireless for work.

Whereas, the following investigative commission invites experts and stakeholders to find solutions.

SECTION 2. (a) Resolved, there shall be a special commission to examine the impacts of technology on police, firefighters, and emergency and security personnel in Massachusetts, with the goal of protecting the physical, mental and social condition of the personnel while ensuring the Commonwealth's residents and businesses have access to a competent security and police force protective of human rights.

(b) The commission shall review and identify with respect to police, firefighters, and emergency or security personnel: (1) the impacts of non-ionizing radiation emissions from technology on mental and physical health; (2) an overview of the FirstNet program and comparable emergency services; (3) the non-ionizing radiation conditions; (4) likely or known effects of the non-ionizing conditions; (5) the implications of technology use for human rights and the human condition, particularly with respect to the police; (6) likely or known social impacts of technology use per implications of the preceding paragraph; (7) the necessity, usefulness, or triviality of technologies used at work; (7) alternatives to any technologies which pose risks but are deemed useful or seem necessary; and (viii) best practices with respect to technology.

(c) The special commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the Commissioner of the department of telecommunications and cable; the senate and house chairmen of the Joint Committee on Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy who shall serve as the additional co-chairs; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Coalition of Police; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association; (1) representative of the State Police Association of Massachusetts; (1) representative of the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts; (1) representative of Black Lives Matter Boston; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Medical Society;  (2) representatives or nominees of the Environmental Health Trust, (1) of whom shall be a medical or scientific expert; and (1) member who shall be appointed by the governor, who shall be a professor of research in telecommunication policy.

(d) The special commission shall file an initial report of its recommendations and drafts of proposed broadband legislation or regulations, if any, on subsection (b) with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the President of the Senate, The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Governor and the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 31, 2022. The special commission shall file a final report providing a full report regarding said subsection (b) not later than March 1, 2023.