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Massachusetts Burma Legislation
- Subject: Massachusetts Burma Legislation
- From: frdc@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 11 Jul 1995 06:18:00
BURMA BILL PASSED BY MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 10. Boston.
Today, as people around the world celebrated the release of Aung San
Suu Kyi, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H2833, a
bill that would effectively bar the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
from buying any goods or services from companies doing business in
Burma.
The Burma bill, H2833, is sponsored by Massachusetts State
Representative Byron Rushing (D, Boston). The bill is closely modeled
on similar legislation successfully introduced by Representative
Rushing that barred Massachusetts from buying goods or services from
companies doing business in South Africa.
The bill would put pressure on corporations doing business in Burma
by denying them the opportunity to sell their goods or services to
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth is a
multi-billion dollar purchaser of goods and services annually.
Having passed the House, the bill will now go to the Massachusetts
Senate. If it is approved by both the Massachusetts House and Senate,
it will then go to Governor William Weld for his signature.
Last year, the same bill never left the House Ways & Means Committee
and, consequently, never reached the House floor.
In February, the City of Berkeley, California, became the first city
to boycott companies doing business in Burma. The Massachuetts bill
is the first statewide legislation. It is expected that ten cities
and states worldwide will introduce similar legislation this year.
Simon Billenness
Franklin Research & Development Corporation
(617) 423 6655 x225
(617) 482 6179 fax