Text of MA H 2711 (2019)

1 of 4 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3177 FILED ON: 1/18/2019 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2711 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Patricia A. Haddad _________________ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled: The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: An Act to ensure gender parity on public boards and commissions. _______________ PETITION OF: NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: Patricia A. Haddad 5th Bristol Carole A. Fiola 6th Bristol Harriette L. Chandler First Worcester Sean Garballey 23rd Middlesex Tommy Vitolo 15th Norfolk Paul J. Donato 35th Middlesex Ruth B. Balser 12th Middlesex Paul Brodeur 32nd Middlesex Michelle L. Ciccolo 15th Middlesex Daniel R. Cullinane 12th Suffolk Michelle M. DuBois 10th Plymouth Nika C. Elugardo 15th Suffolk Tricia Farley-Bouvier 3rd Berkshire Anne M. Gobi Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex Carlos Gonzalez 10th Hampden James K. Hawkins 2nd Bristol Natalie M. Higgins 4th Worcester 2 of 4 Patrick Joseph Kearney 4th Plymouth David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf 17th Worcester Paul McMurtry 11th Norfolk Jon Santiago 9th Suffolk Alan Silvia 7th Bristol RoseLee Vincent 16th Suffolk 3 of 4 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3177 FILED ON: 1/18/2019 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2711 By Mrs. Haddad of Somerset, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2711) of Patricia A. Haddad and others relative to gender parity on public boards and commissions. State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court (2019-2020) _______________ An Act to ensure gender parity on public boards and commissions. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 6 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2 56, the following section:- 3 Section 56A. (a) (1) Beginning on and after January 1, 2022, the composition of each 4 appointed public board and commission in the Commonwealth shall broadly reflect the general 5 public of the commonwealth, including persons of different backgrounds, abilities, interests, and 6 opinions including ethnic minorities and women and shall have not less than 50 per cent women 7 board members or commissioners. 8 (2) For the purposes of this section, “woman” means an individual who self-identifies her 9 gender as a woman, without regard to the individual’s designated sex at birth. 10 (b) When practicable, the racial and ethnic composition of each board and commission 11 shall reflect the percentage of racial and ethnic minorities in the general population. 4 of 4 12 (c) (1) The commission against discrimination shall collect and release, annually, at a 13 minimum, and on an aggregate basis, the following: 14 (A) Demographic data provided by all public board and commission applicants relative to 15 ethnicity, race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 16 (B) Demographic data provided by all public board and commission nominees or 17 appointees relative to ethnicity, race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 18 (2) Any demographic data disclosed or released pursuant to this section shall disclose 19 only aggregated statistical data and shall not identify any individual applicant, nominee, or 20 appointed board member or commissioner. 21 SECTION 2. The commission against discrimination shall provide annual notification of 22 the provisions in section 1 to each appointing authority.