Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1488 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 606 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1488
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Joanne M. Comerford
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
12	12	resolve:
13	13	Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to the
14	14	existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change to the commonwealth of
15	15	Massachusetts.
16	16	_______________
17	17	PETITION OF:
18	18	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Joanne M. ComerfordHampshire, Franklin and WorcesterLindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/19/2023 1 of 4
19	19	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 606 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
20	20	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1488
21	21	By Ms. Comerford, a petition (accompanied by resolve, Senate, No. 1488) of Joanne M.
22	22	Comerford and Lindsay N. Sabadosa that provisions be made for an investigation and study by a
23	23	special commission relative to the existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate
24	24	change to the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
25	25	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
26	26	SEE SENATE, NO. 1556 OF 2021-2022.]
27	27	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
28	28	_______________
29	29	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
30	30	(2023-2024)
31	31	_______________
32	32	Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to the
33	33	existential threats posed by nuclear weapons and climate change to the commonwealth of
34	34	Massachusetts.
35	35	1 Resolved, that there shall be a special citizens commission to investigate and make
36	36	2recommendations regarding the transition away from the development and production of nuclear
37	37	3weapons within the commonwealth towards the development and production of green
38	38	4technologies needed to address the climate emergency;
39	39	5 The citizens commission shall investigate and report on the extent to which jobs,
40	40	6businesses and communities in the commonwealth are dependent on the development and
41	41	7production of nuclear weapons and the extent to which funds under the control of the
42	42	8commonwealth are invested in those activities. The commission shall further investigate and
43	43	9make recommendations regarding any financial or legal measures that may assist or encourage
44	44	10the transition from nuclear weapons-related jobs and activities taking place within the 2 of 4
45	45	11commonwealth to jobs and activities that instead directly address the climate emergency. The
46	46	12commission shall determine what assistance from the federal government would be needed to
47	47	13implement its recommendations and how Massachusetts as a state might leverage the federal
48	48	14government to provide such assistance.
49	49	15 The citizens commission shall consist of 11 United States citizens who are residents of
50	50	16Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 of
51	51	17whom shall be appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the secretary
52	52	18of the commonwealth; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the attorney general; and 7 of whom
53	53	19shall be appointed by the governor, of whom 6 shall be selected by the governor from a group of
54	54	2010 individuals nominated by Massachusetts Peace Action, Inc., Climate Action Now, Mass
55	55	21Climate Action Network, Massachusetts Council of Churches, Massachusetts Labor Federation,
56	56	22Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts League of Women Voters, Massachusetts
57	57	23Young Professionals Association, Massachusetts Interfaith Power and Light, Inc., Union of
58	58	24Concerned Scientists, Inc. and Massachusetts Municipal Association; provided, however, that all
59	59	25appointments shall be made from a list of applicants who have publicly applied for such
60	60	26appointment. The governor’s office shall post all applications on a webpage, established for the
61	61	27public knowledge and oversight of the appointment to and operation of the commission. No
62	62	28person may be appointed to the commission who is a current or former employee of any
63	63	29company or military installation involved in the development, production or maintenance of
64	64	30nuclear weapons.
65	65	31 An application to serve on the commission shall state: (i) the intent of the applicant to
66	66	32comply with and advance the policy established by this resolve; (ii) the applicant’s qualifications
67	67	33and interest in serving on the commission; (iii) the city or town in which the applicant resides; 3 of 4
68	68	34and (iv) the employment of the applicant, if employed. The governor shall post the appointment
69	69	35opportunity on the official website of the commonwealth within 30 days of the effective date of
70	70	36this resolve. All applications for service on the commission shall be submitted within 30 days of
71	71	37the posting of the appointment opportunity.
72	72	38 All appointments shall be made no sooner than 90 days and no later than 120 days
73	73	39following the effective date of this resolve. In making appointments to the commission, the
74	74	40speaker of the house of representatives, senate president, secretary of the commonwealth,
75	75	41attorney general and governor shall consider the range of expertise needed on the commission,
76	76	42and shall seek to ensure that the commission reflects a range of geographical and demographic
77	77	43backgrounds. Appointees to the commission shall serve without compensation. The governor’s
78	78	44initial appointee shall convene the first meeting of the commission no later than 30 days after the
79	79	45appointment of the final member of the commission. Members of the commission shall, at their
80	80	46first meeting, elect a chair or co-chairs, as the members of the commission may decide by
81	81	47majority vote. The commission shall meet on a regular basis to research and to gather evidence,
82	82	48testimony and advice in the manner that the members of the commission determine is most
83	83	49conducive to achieving the objectives of this resolve; provided, however, that the commission
84	84	50proceedings and activities shall be subject to the open meeting law established by sections 18 to
85	85	5125, inclusive, of chapter 30A of the General Laws and shall be considered public records as
86	86	52defined in clause Twenty-sixth of section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws; and provided
87	87	53further, that all residents of Massachusetts have a reasonable opportunity to offer their views and
88	88	54ideas related to the policies herein to the commission.
89	89	55 The commission shall hold at least 5 public hearings in different parts of the
90	90	56commonwealth to inform citizens and legislators about the humanitarian consequences to the 4 of 4
91	91	57commonwealth resulting from any possible use of nuclear weapons and the implications of the
92	92	58Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, including but not limited to a full appraisal of
93	93	59how jobs, technologies and industries currently devoted to nuclear weapons within the
94	94	60commonwealth are likely to be affected by the Treaty and the options for converting these to jobs
95	95	61and activities that instead address the climate emergency.
96	96	62 The commission shall report the results of its investigation and study and its
97	97	63recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its
98	98	64recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives
99	99	65and clerk of the senate, with copies to the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, and all
100	100	66members of the Massachusetts federal congressional delegation, on or before December 31,
101	101	672025. The report may include recommendations for specific legislation aimed at reducing the
102	102	68exposure of private companies and public institutions within the commonwealth to the legislative
103	103	69risk of investing in nuclear weapons. The report may also include recommendations for the
104	104	70effective transferal of human and financial resources within the commonwealth away from the
105	105	71nuclear weapons business and towards the global effort to address the climate emergency.