HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2487        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 738

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Joanne M. Comerford

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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 resolve:

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change to the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2487        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 738

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change to the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Resolved, that there shall be a special citizens commission to investigate and make recommendations regarding the transition away from the development and production of nuclear weapons within the commonwealth towards the development and production of green technologies needed to address the climate emergency;

The citizens commission shall investigate and report on the extent to which jobs, businesses and communities in the commonwealth are dependent on the development and production of nuclear weapons and the extent to which funds under the control of the commonwealth are invested in those activities. The commission shall further investigate and make recommendations regarding any financial or legal measures that may assist or encourage the transition from nuclear weapons-related jobs and activities taking place within the commonwealth to jobs and activities that instead directly address the climate emergency. The commission shall determine what assistance from the federal government would be needed to implement its recommendations and how Massachusetts as a state might leverage the federal government to provide such assistance.

The citizens commission shall consist of 11 United States citizens who are residents of Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the secretary of the commonwealth; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the attorney general; and 7 of whom shall be appointed by the governor, of whom 6 shall be selected by the governor from a group of 10 individuals nominated by the Massachusetts Warheads to Windmills Coalition, a statewide coalition of peace and environmental organizations that includes Massachusetts Peace Action, Inc., Climate Action Now, 350 Mass, Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light, Inc., Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility and others; provided, however, that all appointments shall be made from a list of applicants who have publicly applied for such appointment. The governor’s office shall post all applications on a webpage, established for the public knowledge and oversight of the appointment to and operation of the commission. No person may be appointed to the commission who is a current employee of any company or military installation involved in the development, production or maintenance of nuclear weapons.

An application to serve on the commission shall state: (i) the intent of the applicant to comply with and advance the policy established by this resolve; (ii) the applicant’s qualifications and interest in serving on the commission; (iii) the city or town in which the applicant resides; and (iv) the employment of the applicant, if employed. The governor shall post the appointment opportunity on the official website of the commonwealth within 30 days of the effective date of this resolve. All applications for service on the commission shall be submitted within 30 days of the posting of the appointment opportunity.

All appointments shall be made no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days following the effective date of this resolve. In making appointments to the commission, the speaker of the house of representatives, senate president, secretary of the commonwealth, attorney general and governor shall consider the range of expertise needed on the commission, and shall seek to ensure that the commission reflects a range of geographical and demographic backgrounds. Appointees to the commission shall serve without compensation.

The governor’s initial appointee shall convene the first meeting of the commission no later than 30 days after the appointment of the final member of the commission. Members of the commission shall, at their first meeting, elect a chair or co-chairs, as the members of the commission may decide by majority vote. The commission shall meet on a regular basis to research and to gather evidence, testimony and advice in the manner that the members of the commission determine is most conducive to achieving the objectives of this resolve; provided, however, that the commission proceedings and activities shall be subject to the open meeting law established by sections 18 to 25, inclusive, of chapter 30A of the General Laws and shall be considered public records as defined in clause Twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws; and provided further, that all residents of Massachusetts have a reasonable opportunity to offer their views and ideas related to the policies herein to the commission.

The commission shall hold at least 5 public hearings in different parts of the commonwealth to inform citizens and legislators about the humanitarian consequences to the commonwealth resulting from any possible use of nuclear weapons and the implications of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, including but not limited to a full appraisal of how jobs, technologies and industries currently devoted to nuclear weapons within the commonwealth are likely to be affected by the Treaty and the options for converting these to jobs and activities that instead address the climate emergency.

The commission shall report the results of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives and clerk of the senate, with copies to the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and all members of the Massachusetts federal congressional delegation, on or before December 31, 2025.  The report may include recommendations for specific legislation aimed at reducing the exposure of private companies and public institutions within the commonwealth to the legislative risk of investing in nuclear weapons. The report may also include recommendations for the effective transferal of human and financial resources within the commonwealth away from the nuclear weapons business and towards the global effort to address the climate emergency.