A toxics-free New Year's resolution for the MA Senate
From all of us at the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Happy New Year! The legislative session resumes today, and protection from toxic chemicals should be a top priority for senators in 2012.
Please call your state senator and ask him or her to make a New Year's Resolution to pass the Safer Alternatives Bill.
Step 1: Find out who your state senator is if you don't know already.
Step 2: Place your calls. Use the State House Switchboard: 617-722-2000 or find their direct office numbers. When you reach your senator, or one of their staff members, tell them your name and where you live, and urge them to:
"Please make it your New Year's Resolution to support S-2079 An Act for a competitive economy through safer alternatives to toxic chemicals (also known as 'The Safer Alternatives Bill'). This is a critically important bill to protect our health from toxic chemicals and keep Massachusetts businesses competitive in the global economy. Please make it a priority to see that it passes soon in the new year."
Step 3: Please click here to report to us that you made your call so that we can keep a record.
Step 4: Encourage your friends to call their senators via Facebook and Twitter!
Senators will have thousands of bills to choose from this year. Let's make the Safer Alternatives Bill the first one to grab their attention as they return to the State House.
The Safer Alternatives Bill will create a pragmatic and flexible program in Massachusetts to replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives, wherever feasible. In this economy, the bill is needed more than ever. The Safer Alternatives program will help Massachusetts businesses stay competitive on the global market which is rapidly moving towards a demand for safer products and services.
The bill made a significant step toward becoming a law late last year when the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture released the bill. The next steps will be for the bill to get a favorable report from the Joint Committee on Ways and Means then be brought to a vote in the Senate. After that, the bill will need to pass through the House of Representatives before becoming law.
The Safer Alternatives Bill is about to begin its tenth year before the Massachusetts legislature. Ten years is too long to wait for protection from toxic chemicals! Please call your state senator today and ask them to do everything they can to pass the Safer Alternatives Bill this year.
