BOSTON (SHNS) – Legislation establishing a commission to study the consumer protection, public health and technological impacts of electromagnetic and radiofrequency radiation given off by wireless technology was favorably reported out of one committee this month, but now returns to the panel that was a dead-end each of the last two sessions.
The Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure gave a favorable report to Sen. Julian Cyr’s resolve (S 186) that would launch a wireless radiation commission and charge it with studying things like “the cost/benefit of disclosing radiofrequency notifications on product packing of wireless devices” and “examining the biological effects of EMR and RFR radiation at the non-thermal level impacting adults and children through industry and non-industry research, with an emphasis on device time and children.” “New Hampshire is the first legislature in the nation to complete an independent investigation of the health and environmental impact of today’s wireless technology. Their groundbreaking report documents conflicts of interest with the FDA, FCC and the wireless industry. They also make 15 common sense recommendations to transition to hard-wired technology,” Cecelia Doucette, director of Massachusetts for Safe Technology, wrote in a suggested thank you note that she encouraged supporters to share with the committee.
“Advancement of S. 186 gives us hope that Massachusetts will soon follow suit!” The resolve is now before the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Cyr filed essentially the same resolve in 2019 and the Consumer Protection Committee in April 2020 gave it a favorable report. That version (S 129) was also sent to Senate Ways and Means, which did not act on the legislation and allowed it to die with the 2019-2020 legislative session. During the 2017-2018 session, the Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure redrafted two Cyr bills into a resolve (S 2431) relative to disclosure of radio frequency notifications, which it also sent to the Senate Ways and Means Committee. That resolve also saw no action after being assigned there.
