Legislation

The 2013 session of the Massachusetts Legislature officially convened in January, but the process of passing legislation into law is a lengthy process. MFI will be following numerous bills on Beacon Hill closely, as well as actively advocating for the passage of a few key proposed laws. Below you will find information on the top bills a link to the Legislative Briefs we have been delivering to your State Representatives and Senators.

We will be updating this page throughout the legislative session, and we encourage you to become familiar with bills and stay up-to-date on their progress. We will update this page as action is taken on the bills, and provide information on how to contact your legislators on a particular bill. Also, at the bottom of this page, we will provide you with an opportunity to submit testimony on a bill that you feel strongly about.

Bills to Support

HB 1565 – A Woman’s Right to Know (AKA “Laura’s Law”)  Laura Hope Smith was a 22 year-old Cape Cod woman who died during an abortion.  This law would help prevent future tragedies by requiring doctors to inform each woman of pertinent information that is considered a core part of the abortion decision.  Click on the resources below to find out more and let your elected officials know your support this legislation.  [Click HERE to find out who your State Representative and State Senator are.]

 

HB 1479 – Repeal of Transgender Law   In 2011, the Legislature “An Act Relative to Gender Identity” which is now being used to open school bathrooms and sports teams to students of either sex based on a self-proclaimed ‘gender identity’.  The law also infringes on the rights of business owners to set dress codes for their employees and other common sense practices.  HB 1479 would repeal the transgender law. A second piece of legislation aimed at stopping the harm done by the Transgender Law is HB 1354 – Safety and Privacy in Public Accommodations. This bill expressly states that the Transgender Law would not apply to private spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms, and would restore the protections of privacy and modesty for students in our schools. Click on the resources below to find out more and let your elected officials know your support these two bills.

Bills to Oppose

HB 366/421/450 AND SB 202/209 - Health Curriculum Framework   These bills would each impose a state-wide, one-size-fits all comprehensive sex-education curriculum on our public schools, containing offensive reproduction and sexuality materials.  Click on the resources below to find out more and let your elected officials know your oppose this legislation.

 

HB 1589 – Equal Access to All Public Places  When the Transgender Rights Bill was passed in 2011, it specifically did not include bath rooms, locker rooms and other “lawfully sex-segregated facilities.”  This bill would undue that common sense precaution and force all businesses and ‘public accommodations’ to allow men who ‘identify’ as women into the ladies’ room, and vice versa. Click on the resources below to find out more and let your elected officials know your oppose this legislation.

 

HB 154 - Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Minors  This bill would prevent children from receiving much needed counseling to help them respond proactively to unwanted sexual desires, and is an attempt to silence the veiwpoint of those who believe sexual orientation treatment is counseling therapy which can provide tremendous benefits.  Click on the resources below to find out more and let your elected officials know your oppose this legislation.