OLYMPIA, WA – Washington's capital city is considering a plan to declare itself a "nuclear-free zone," according to the Associated Press. The designation, now being drafted for the City Council, would halt city purchases of police cars, cell phones, and other supplies from all or most of an estimated 32 companies connected with nuclear weapons production. In February, the council passed a resolution calling for a worldwide end to nuclear weapons by 2020. In May, Councilman TJ Johnson, sponsor of the nuclear-free ordinance, represented the city at an international conference at the United Nations on nuclear proliferation. The resolution said Olympia should stop buying goods and services from companies directly linked to the manufacture of nuclear weapons. City official Mary Lou Berg said that includes Chrysler, which builds police cars, and Motorola, which makes Nextel phones used by up to 400 city employees. The city would seek new suppliers. If none were found, the city could continue doing business, but would send the firm a letter encouraging a policy change. The ordinance would ban shipment of nuclear weapons through the city or its port, but wouldn't apply to nuclear medicine, smoke detectors, timepieces, or depleted uranium. The measure will have a public hearing on Aug. 9, and would take effect 30 days after adoption.
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