Bill > S1649

This bill addresses the global threat of nuclear weapons by calling for Massachusetts to support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), an international legal instrument that aims to comprehensively ban nuclear weapons. The bill highlights the existential danger posed by over 12,000 nuclear weapons worldwide, particularly in light of recent geopolitical tensions such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and associated nuclear threats. Referencing Massachusetts' historical leadership in nuclear disarmament efforts during the 1980s, the resolution congratulates the 70 countries that have already signed and ratified the TPNW and joins other state legislatures in endorsing the "Back from the Brink" platform. Specifically, the bill urges the Massachusetts Congressional delegation to support House Resolution 77 and calls for several key actions: pursuing a verifiable agreement to eliminate nuclear arsenals, renouncing first-use of nuclear weapons, ending the president's unilateral nuclear launch authority, taking nuclear weapons off high-alert status, and canceling plans to modernize the nuclear arsenal. The resolution establishes a policy commitment for Massachusetts to pursue measures protecting citizens from nuclear threats and contributing to global nuclear disarmament, with the final provision directing the Senate clerk to distribute copies of the resolution to key federal and state leaders.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1649