Text of MA S 735 (2016)

1 of 4 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 398 FILED ON: 1/14/2015 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 735 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Sonia Chang-Diaz _________________ 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 relative to transgender anti-discrimination. _______________ PETITION OF: NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: Sonia Chang-Diaz Second Suffolk Benjamin B. Downing Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden Michelle M. DuBois 10th Plymouth Byron Rushing 9th Suffolk Jason M. Lewis Fifth Middlesex Kenneth J. Donnelly Fourth Middlesex Harriette L. Chandler First Worcester Barbara L'Italien Second Essex and Middlesex Cynthia S. Creem First Middlesex and Norfolk Patricia D. Jehlen Second Middlesex James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester Sal N. DiDomenico Middlesex and Suffolk John F. Keenan Norfolk and Plymouth Tom Sannicandro 7th Middlesex William N. Brownsberger Second Suffolk and Middlesex Tricia Farley-Bouvier 3rd Berkshire Carmine L. Gentile 13th Middlesex 2 of 4 Mary S. Keefe 15th Worcester Thomas M. McGee Third Essex Aaron Michlewitz 3rd Suffolk Eric P. Lesser First Hampden and Hampshire Michael J. Barrett Third Middlesex Sean Garballey 23rd Middlesex Daniel A. Wolf Cape and Islands Danielle W. Gregoire 4th Middlesex Joan B. Lovely Second Essex Gailanne M. Cariddi 1st Berkshire Chris Walsh 6th Middlesex Jose F. Tosado 9th Hampden Jennifer E. Benson 37th Middlesex 3 of 4 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 398 FILED ON: 1/14/2015 SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 735 By Ms. Chang-Diaz, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 735) of Sonia Chang-Diaz, Benjamin B. Downing, Michelle M. DuBois, Byron Rushing and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to equal access to public places regardless of gender identity. The Judiciary. [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION SEE SENATE, NO. 643 OF 2013-2014.] The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court (2015-2016) _______________ An Act relative to transgender anti-discrimination. 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. Section 92A of chapter 272 of the General Laws, as so appearing in the 2 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “sex”, in line 9, the 3 following words:- , gender identity. 4 SECTION 2. Said section 92A of said chapter 272, as so appearing in the 2014 Official 5 Edition, is hereby further amended by inserting the following sentence at the end of the second 6 paragraph:- 7 Any public accommodation including without limitation any entity that offers the 8 provision of goods, services, or access to the public that lawfully segregates or separates access 9 to such public accommodation or other entity based on a person’s sex shall grant all persons 4 of 4 10 admission to and the full enjoyment of such public accommodation or other entity consistent 11 with the person’s gender identity. 12 SECTION 3. Section 98 of said chapter 272, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is 13 hereby amended by inserting after the word “sex”, in line 2, the following words:- , gender 14 identity. 15 SECTION 4. The term gender identity as used herein shall have the meaning as set forth 16 in clause 59, Section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official 17 Edition. 18 SECTION 5. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, established by 19 section 56 of chapter 6, is authorized to adopt, promulgate, amend, and rescind rules and 20 regulations or to formulate policies and make recommendations to effectuate the purposes of this 21 Act.