Federal Judge Largely Upholds Berkeley’s New Mobile Phone Health Warning Ordinance

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen upheld most of a new Berkeley ordinance requiring cellphone retailers to warn customers about the health risks of keeping cellphones too close to their bodies. In the ruling, Chen said the ordinance largely complies with federal law and rejected the wireless industry's request for a preliminary injunction against the ordinance. However, he said the city must remove language that says the potential health risks are greater for children before it can take effect.

• "Judge Blocks Berkeley's Warning About Cell Phones and Children" (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/21).
• "Judge Largely Upholds Berkeley Cellphone Ordinance" (AP/ABC News, 9/22).