San Francisco passes cellphone radiation law

The Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to give preliminary approval to the proposal. Final approval is expected next week. Supervisor Sean Elsbernd was the lone vote in opposition. Mayor Gavin Newsom, an early proponent of the legislation, plans to sign it into law when it reaches his desk.

Cast by backers as a pro-consumer measure, the ordinance would not ban the sale of certain cell phones but would require retailers to provide the "specific absorption rate" - a measurement of radiation registered with the Federal Communications Commission - next to phones displayed in their shops. Consumers also would be notified about where they can get more educational materials.

"This is about helping people make informed choices," said Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, chief sponsor of the legislation.

But a trade group for the cell phone industry said the law could lead to confusion.

"Rather than inform, the ordinance will potentially mislead consumers with point-of-sale requirements suggesting that some phones are 'safer' than others, based on radio frequency emissions," John Walls, vice president of public affairs for the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, said after the vote. "In fact, all phones sold legally in the U.S. must comply with the Federal Communication Commission's safety standards for (radio frequency) emissions."

The FCC has adopted limits for safe exposure to radiation. The measurement shows the amount of radio frequency energy people absorb in their bodies when talking on a cell phone.