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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1373 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2158
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Tricia Farley-Bouvier
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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 recognizing EMS as a disease dangerous to the public health, requiring inclusion in
MAVEN, establishing the Massachusetts EMS registry and requiring biennial reporting as part
of population health trends.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire1/18/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023Mary S. Keefe15th Worcester2/6/2023 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1373 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2158
By Representative Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
2158) of Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Vanna Howard and Mary S. Keefe that the Department of Public
Health add electromagnetic sensitivity (EMS) to the list of diseases dangerous to the public
health. Public Health.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act recognizing EMS as a disease dangerous to the public health, requiring inclusion in
MAVEN, establishing the Massachusetts EMS registry and requiring biennial reporting as part
of population health trends.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Chapter 111 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 243 the
2following section:-
3 SECTION 244 EMS Disease Classification and Registry
4 (a) The department shall add Electromagnetic Sensitivity (EMS) to the list of diseases
5dangerous to the public health in 105 CMR 300.000 and 300.100 in order to facilitate reporting
6and surveillance requirements within the Disease Surveillance and Case Management System
7(MAVEN) implemented in 105 CMR 300.050 and identification of incidences that are part of a
8cluster or outbreak for purposes of 105 CMR 300.134.
9 (b) The department shall include EMS to the list of diseases possibly linked to
10environmental exposures in 105 CMR 300.192. 2 of 3
11 (c) The department shall collect and disseminate to health care providers (including but
12not limited to pediatricians) and the public recommended educational materials and diagnosis
13guidelines for identification of the symptoms associated with EMS. These materials shall
14include, but not be limited to the EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention,
15diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses, Clinical Practice
16Guidelines in the Diagnosis and Management of Electromagnetic Field Hypersensitivity,
17Environmental Health Clinic, Women’s College Hospital (Toronto, CA) and Guideline of the
18Austrian Medical Association for the diagnosis and treatment of EMF related health problems
19and illnesses (EMF syndrome).
20 (d) (1) The department shall establish an EMS disease registry for the collection of
21information necessary to determine the incidence and prevalence of EMS in the commonwealth.
22 (2) There shall be within the department an EMS disease registry advisory committee to
23advise and assist in the development, implementation and progress of the EMS disease registry
24established in subsection (d)(1). The committee shall review and submit recommendations on: (i)
25what data shall be collected, including, but not limited to, demographic information and data by
26areas and regions of the commonwealth, with specific data from urban, low and median income
27communities and minority communities of the commonwealth; (ii) the means of collecting and
28disseminating such data; (iii) how to ensure privacy and confidentiality of such data; (iv) the
29purpose, design and functionality of the registry; and (v) the implementation of the registry. The
30committee shall recommend to the department any information deemed necessary and
31appropriate for the statistical identification and planning for treatment and education of health
32care providers and persons diagnosed with EMS. 3 of 3
33 (3) The committee shall consist of the commissioner, or a designee, and 10 members to
34be appointed by the commissioner as follows: 3 physicians, 1 of whom shall be a general
35neurologist, 1 of whom shall be an environmental health specialist and 1 of whom shall be a
36pediatrician; 1 health informaticist; 2 population health researchers familiar with registries; 2
37EMS researchers; and 2 persons diagnosed with EMS. The committee shall meet at least bi-
38annually to assess registry progress and recommend changes.
39 (e) The commissioner shall include EMS as part of the data systems and biennial reports
40required by each population health trends required by chapter 111 section 237.
41 (f) Definition: for purposes of this section “Electromagnetic Sensitivity” (EMS), also
42known as EMF Syndrome, Electromagnetic Field Hypersensitivity or Nonionizing Radiation
43Sickness, means the recognized constellation of mainly neurological spectrum condition
44symptoms that have been associated with exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic energy. They
45include headaches, memory, cognitive and sleep problems, heart palpitations and/or increased
46heart rate, ringing in the ears, fatigue, skin rashes, tingling, nose bleeds, unremitting flu-like
47symptoms, dizziness, and burning sensations.