Bill
H 3484
Directs state and municipal anchor institutions to cut non-ionizing EMR by shifting from wireless to wired, curb hotspots, and apply ALARA rules, with AG enforcement.
Status & procedural history
- Bill docket/number: House No. 3484 (House Docket No. 3579). Prefiled 12/05/2024; filed 01/17/2025. Introduced/read first time 01/14/2025. Referred to Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (02/27/2025). Hearing scheduled 05/06/2025. Reporting date extended to 12/03/2025. Also listed as referred to the Committee on Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs in some records. (Record contains additional, inconsistent entries — see Note below.)
- Sponsor/petitioner: Presented by Rep. Patricia A. Duffy (by request); petition of Kirstin Beatty (Holyoke).
Purpose / intent
- The bill directs Commonwealth and municipal authorities to reduce and limit exposures to non‑ionizing electromagnetic radiation emitted by technology across the spectrum from 0 Hz through 300 GHz in public “anchor institutions.” It cites scientific studies and states policy goals to reduce exposure, increase wired (hard‑wired) communications, and provide public education on exposure reduction.
Key substantive provisions
- Scope — “Anchor institutions”: schools (preK–12), higher‑education institutions, government entities, public safety entities, medical centers, libraries, and public housing.
- Agency duties (state and municipal bodies with jurisdiction over anchor institutions): within their authority they must, among other things:
- Recommend limits on non‑ionizing radiation exposures and provide accessible guidance, training, and information on reducing/monitoring exposures (wireless and wired).
- Establish quality control requirements and a graduated program to reduce and monitor current exposures while maintaining needed access to telecommunications/broadband.
- Where feasible, require migration from wireless to wired services and adopt procurement preferences for products/processes that minimize wireless radiation.
- Reduce trivial technology use and data collection; create visible notification of wireless “hotspots” and outdoor antennas that lack fencing.
- Favor wiring only areas that need access or create communal wired rooms; choose connectors/equipment that minimize leakage and power disruption.
- Apply ALARA (“as low as reasonably achievable”) and ASARA (“as safe as reasonably achievable”) principles for non‑ionizing radiation.
- Specific institutional requirements (examples):
- Public higher‑education dormitories: ensure wireless connectivity (e.g., Wi‑Fi) in dorms is substituted with wired alternatives first, then expand wired service campus‑wide.
- Public preK–12 schools: if Wi‑Fi is used, it should only transmit when in use; in elementary schools Wi‑Fi limited to administrative areas. Paper‑based testing is preferred over computer testing (except where disability accommodations required). Student tech use mandates in secondary schools should be limited to opt‑in extracurricular courses. The Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education must work with the legislature on a cost‑effective plan to provide wired services where needed.
- Governance/support: Governor to form a small expert team experienced in reducing non‑ionizing radiation to support training and exposure‑reduction efforts.
- Enforcement: Attorney General to adjudicate complaints and enforce good‑faith compliance under chapter 93; remedies provided are not exclusive of other legal actions.
- Statutory edits: Amends language in chapter 25C to prefer transmission media/technology that best reduces electromagnetic radiation exposures (0–300 GHz). The bill also proposes adding K–12 education requirements (text truncated in provided copy).
Who would be affected
- Directly: State and municipal education agencies, public schools (preK–12), state colleges and universities (including dorm operations), public health/medical centers, libraries, public housing authorities, procurement officers, and state/municipal facility managers.
- Indirectly: Students, teachers, staff, residents of public housing, higher‑ed residents, vendors and contractors supplying networking/telecommunications equipment and services, and the broader public interacting with anchor institutions.
Potential impacts and implementation considerations
- Operational shifts toward wired networking in public facilities (infrastructure costs and procurement changes).
- Policy and administrative changes in schools: limits on classroom/mandatory device use; preference for paper testing could affect assessment administration.
- Procurement and vendor markets may shift toward lower‑emission products and wired connectivity solutions.
- Enforcement and compliance will require agency guidance, training, monitoring and possibly complaint adjudication by the AG.
- The bill’s scientific assertions are policy drivers; implementation may require technical standards, cost analyses, and phased timelines not fully specified in the text provided.
Note on mixed/extra material in the bill record
- The record provided also includes the full text of a separate South Carolina bill (amendments exempting hair‑braiding and make‑up artistry from state barber/cosmetology licensing and revising the definition of hair braiding). That South Carolina text appears unrelated to Massachusetts H.3484 and likely reflects a merged data source. Verify the authoritative legislative text at the Massachusetts Legislature website or clerk’s office to confirm the bill language and any amendments.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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