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