Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the
same, as follows:
SECTION 1. As used in this act the following words shall have the following meanings:
“Eligible members” are a member of the Massachusetts national guard or a veteran as defined in clause forty-third of section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws;
“Depleted uranium” uranium containing less uranium-235 than the naturally occurring distribution of uranium isotopes;
SECTION 2. There is established a commission to study the health effects of the exposure to hazardous materials, including, but not limited to, depleted uranium, as they relate to eligible members. The commission shall:
(1) prepare a report determining the feasibility or necessity of creating a state health registry to monitor eligible members, to determine outreach practices for eligible members, and to present information to eligible members regarding the health and safety issues concerning depleted uranium exposure, including the types and efficacy of tests to detect depleted uranium exposure, federal treatment programs available for eligible members affected by exposure to depleted uranium, and the federal and state benefits that are available for eligible members exposed to depleted uranium.
(2) the adjutant general and the department of veterans’ services shall submit a report to the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs on the scope and adequacy of training received by members of the national guard on detecting whether their service as eligible members is likely to entail, or has entailed, exposure to depleted uranium. The report shall include an assessment of feasibility and cost of adding pre-deployment training, concerning potential exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic chemical substances and the precautions recommended under combat and noncombatant conditions while in a combat zone.
(3) make any other recommendations the commission considers appropriate.
SECTION 3. The commission shall consist of 3 members of the senate, 1 of whom shall be the president of the senate or her designee who shall serve as co-chairperson, 1 of whom shall be the minority leader of the senate or his designee, and 1 of whom shall be the chairman of the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs or his designee, 3 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be the speaker of the house of representatives or his designee who shall serve as co-chairperson, 1 of whom shall be the minority leader of the senate or his designee, and 1 of whom shall be the chairman of the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs or his designee, the adjutant general of the national guard or his designee, the secretary of veterans’ services or his designee, the commissioner of public health or his designee, 4 persons to be appointed by the governor, two whom shall be veterans with knowledge of or experience with exposure to depleted uranium or other hazardous materials, and 2 whom shall be physicians or scientists with knowledge of or experience with the detection and health effects of exposure to depleted uranium or other hazardous materials.
All appointments shall be made on or before 30 days of the effective date of this act. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. The chairpersons shall meet with the commission on or before 60 days of the effective date of this act.
Said commission shall report to the general court the result of its investigation and study, and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives who shall forward the same to the joint committee on veterans and federal affairs no later than six months after the initial meeting of the commission.