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Massachusetts Burma Legislation



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