PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 916 PRINTER'S NO. 2542
No. 38 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY LASHINGER, BUNT, KOSINSKI, ANGSTADT, TRELLO,
ITKIN, VEON, GEIST, FOX, BELARDI, HECKLER, BATTISTO,
SERAFINI, WOGAN, FREIND AND NAILOR, MARCH 14, 1989
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON RULES, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, OCTOBER 10, 1989
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION <--
1 Providing for a committee DIRECTING THE HOUSE CONSERVATION <--
2 COMMITTEE to investigate the public health effects of
3 nonionizing electromagnetic radiation. EXPOSURE TO <--
4 ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS.
5 WHEREAS, It has been suspected and recent preliminary studies
6 have indicated that exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic
7 radiation FIELDS or radio frequency radiation has certain <--
8 harmful, irreversible effects on living organisms; and <--
9 WHEREAS, It is recognized CERTAIN LABORATORY STUDIES HAVE <--
10 INDICATED that such exposure can MAY affect the normal function <--
11 of the cells of the body LIVING ORGANISMS, including <--
12 reproductive and neural cells, the immune system and the growth
13 process; and
14 WHEREAS, It is known that such radiation is FIELDS ARE <--
15 produced by microwave equipment such as home ovens, scientific
16 scanning devices, radar transmission equipment, radio and
17 television transmission devices, high tension electric power
18 transmission lines as well as other suspected sources generating <--
1 electromagnetic radiation which are under study ALL OTHER <--
2 ELECTRICAL DEVICES; and
3 WHEREAS, With the increased number of known and unknown <--
4 sources of electromagnetic radiation FIELDS being used by <--
5 business, research, industry and in the home, more persons are,
6 knowingly or unknowingly, being exposed to the increasing <--
7 amounts of nonionizing electromagnetic radiation INCREASINGLY <--
8 EXPOSED TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; and
9 WHEREAS, Studies to date have shown an increased incidence of <--
10 cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, abnormal cell
11 behavior, reproductive cell damage and neural cell damage in
12 persons exposed to nonionizing radiation; and
13 WHEREAS, While new sources of such radiation are continually
14 being discovered and studied, the types and location of emitting
15 devices is not reliably known and the extent of the short and
16 long-term effects on humans is still not conclusive; and
17 WHEREAS, CERTAIN STATISTICAL STUDIES TO DATE HAVE INDICATED A <--
18 CORRELATION BETWEEN AN INCREASED INCIDENCE OF CANCER, HIGH BLOOD
19 PRESSURE AND HEART DISEASE AND EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC
20 FIELDS, AND CERTAIN OTHER STATISTICAL STUDIES HAVE FOUND NO
21 CORRELATION; AND
22 WHEREAS, SOME IN VITRO LABORATORY STUDIES HAVE FOUND ABNORMAL
23 CELL BEHAVIOR, REPRODUCTIVE CELL DAMAGE AND NEURAL DAMAGE FROM
24 EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; AND
25 WHEREAS, THE EFFECTS UPON HUMANS OF EXPOSURE TO
26 ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS IS STILL NOT CONCLUSIVE; AND
27 WHEREAS, Since there exists a potential for serious long-term
28 harmful effects to humans from unlimited exposure to such
29 nonionizing radiation FIELDS, the feasibility of conducting a <--
30 long-term study on limits for exposure to such radiation FIELDS <--
19890H0038R2542 - 2 -
1 should be investigated; therefore be it
2 RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the Speaker appoint a <--
3 select committee of five members, three from the majority party
4 and two from the minority party to conduct an investigation of
5 the feasibility, scope, available resources and cost to
6 establish a State study commission to investigate the short and
7 long-term public health effects of and to establish standards
8 for human exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic radiation; and
9 be it further
10 RESOLVED, That, in carrying out its duties, the select
11 committee shall avail itself of the professional, technical and
12 administrative services of the Department of Environmental
13 Resources and the Department of Health; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the Department of Environmental Resources and
15 the Department of Health shall provide at least one person,
16 knowledgeable in the field, as staff to the select committee on
17 a full-time basis. The sum of $30,000 each is hereby
18 appropriated to the Department of Environmental Resources and
19 the Department of Health for reimbursement for the services
20 provided to the select committee pursuant to this resolution;
21 and be it further
22 RESOLVED, THAT THE SPEAKER DIRECT THE HOUSE CONSERVATION <--
23 COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PUBLIC
24 HEALTH EFFECTS OF HUMAN EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; AND
25 BE IT FURTHER
26 RESOLVED, That the select committee CONSERVATION COMMITTEE <--
27 may hold hearings, take testimony and make its investigations at
28 such places, within and without this Commonwealth as it deems
29 necessary. Each member shall have the power to administer oaths
30 and affirmations to witnesses appearing before the select <--
19890H0038R2542 - 3 -
1 committee; and be it further
2 RESOLVED, That the select committee CONSERVATION COMMITTEE <--
3 make a report of its findings and recommendations to the House
4 of Representatives on or before November 30, 1990.
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