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

Whereas, advances in technology and warfare have significantly increased the allotted time of exposure, power density, and type of exposure to non-ionizing radiation for first responders, increasing exposures even when recommendations for occupational exposure are already much higher than for the general population.

Whereas, occupational exposure to non-ionizing radiofrequency and microwave radiation is linked to harm such as significant increases in leukemias, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and all other cancers in the Polish military (Szmigielski, 1997); increasing mortality from cancer in U.S. Navy Korean War veterans with a dose-response effect from low, intermediate, and high radar exposures (Cherry, 2002); and clusters of testicular cancer in police from hand-held radar (Davis & Mostofi, 1993).

Whereas, a study of firemen with a cell tower adjacent to their fire station showed brain abnormalities in a 2004 SPECT scan, delayed reaction time, lack of impulse control, cognitive impairment, and symptoms reflective of poor well being, which led the International Association of Fire Fighters to pass Resolution 15 opposing cell towers on fire stations.

Whereas, expert Barry Trower completed two reports on the proposed and then later instituted Tetra communications systems for the British police; he predicted greater, swifter harm due to more aggressive pulsed radiation, higher frequencies, and thermal power density, and the British police did report swift increases in illness and disease upon implementation of the Tetra system. 

Whereas, the following investigative commission invites experts and stakeholders to find solutions to reduce non-ionizing radiation exposures for first responders.

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 and mental condition of the personnel while ensuring the Commonwealth's residents and businesses have access to a competent emergency and security forces.

(b) The commission shall review and identify with respect to first responders and electromagnetic radiation emitted by technology that ranges from 0 hertz to 300 gigahertz: (1) existing conditions of radiation exposure for first responders; (2) potential exposures from new or proposed technologies; (3) existing or potential exposures from the relevant emergency communication systems including FirstNet; (4) the known impact of radiation exposures from technology on physical and mental health of first responders; (5) the potential or surmised impact of radiation exposures from technology on first responders; (6) whether any existing and proposed radiating technologies can be engineered for greater safety, hard-wired, or removed from use; (7) an assessment of first responder radiation exposures in relation to value for society; (8) additional proposals for reducing exposures to radiation from technology, including identification of potential stakeholders and authorities that can help improve conditions; (9) best practices with respect to reducing exposure to radiation from technology.

(c) The special commission shall consist of the following members or of 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 the Massachusetts National Guard nominated by the Adjutant General; (1) representative of the Massachusetts Medical Society;  (2) representatives or nominees of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields; (1) representative selected by the governor.

(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, 2026. The special commission shall file a final report providing a full report regarding said subsection (b) not later than March 1, 2027, but may file intermittent reports in advance.