Massachusetts S 2016: An Act to ensure gender parity and racial and ethnic diversity on public boards and commissions

Bill Text

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 920        FILED ON: 1/18/2023 
SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2016 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
_________________ 
PRESENTED BY: 
Jason M. Lewis 
_________________ 
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 and racial and ethnic diversity on public boards and commissions. 
_______________ 
PETITION OF: 
 
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:  
Jason M. Lewis Fifth Middlesex  
Rebecca L. Rausch Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1/23/2023 
Vanna Howard 17th Middlesex 2/1/2023 
Sal N. DiDomenico Middlesex and Suffolk 2/8/2023 
James B. Eldridge Middlesex and Worcester 3/13/2023 
Joan B. Lovely Second Essex 4/13/2023 

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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 920        FILED ON: 1/18/2023 
SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2016 
By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2016) of Jason M. Lewis, Rebecca L. 
Rausch, Vanna Howard, Sal N. DiDomenico and other members of the General Court for 
legislation to ensure gender parity and racial and ethnic diversity on public boards and 
commissions.  State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. 
 
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION 
SEE SENATE, NO. 2077 OF 2021-2022.] 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
 
_______________
 
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court 
(2023-2024) 
_______________
 
 
An Act to ensure gender parity and racial and ethnic diversity 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. Definitions.  
2 “Diverse” means an individual who self-identifies in one or more of the following 
3categories: Female, Underrepresented Minority, or LGBTQ+. 
4 “Female” means an individual who self-identifies her gender as female, without regard to 
5the individual’s designated sex at birth. 
6 “Underrepresented Minority” means an individual who self-identifies as one or more of 
7the following: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, Native American, Alaska 

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8Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or two or more races or ethnicities, or such other 
9similar non-white categories as reported in the Census Data. 
10 “LGBTQ+” means an individual who self-identifies as any of the following: lesbian, gay, 
11bisexual, transgender, or as a member of the queer community. 
12 “Census Data” means the Decennial U.S. Census, performed by the U.S. Census Bureau 
13every ten years as mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution. 
14 SECTION 2. (a) Every appointive board or commission of the state established by the 
15Code, if not otherwise provided by law, shall endeavor to have, or explain why it does not have, 
16(1) at least fifty percent members who self-identify as Female, and (2) at least thirty-percent 
17members who self-identify as an Underrepresented Minority or as LGBTQ+. For purposes of this 
18section, these percentages are met where the appointment of one additional Diverse member 
19would cause the board or commission to have a Diverse composition greater than the percentages 
20required herein.  
21  (b) Not later than 120 days after the release of new Census Data, the governor’s office 
22shall amend the percentages in Section 1(a) where necessary to meet the following criteria: 
23 (1) The percentage in Section 1(a)(1) shall reflect the female population in 
24Massachusetts, as reported by the Census Data.  
25 (2) The percentage in Section 1(a)(2) shall reflect the percentage population in 
26Massachusetts of Underrepresented Minorities, as reported in the Census Data, plus the 
27percentage population of LGBTQ+, as reported by the Census Data.   

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28 SECTION 3. Each person responsible for appointing members to a board or commission 
29shall endeavor to ensure that, to the fullest extent possible, the composition of the board or 
30commission reflects the diversity goals set forth in Section 1.  Appointing authorities shall make 
31a focused effort to appoint Diverse members to all boards and commissions, including but not 
32limited to, developing and implementing a plan to attract and recruit Diverse members; and 
33working with community-based and professional organizations with large networks of Diverse 
34individuals. 
35 SECTION 4. (a) To track and measure progress, each public board and commission shall 
36identify and report to the governor’s office at least once per fiscal year:  
37 (1) the total number of current members;  
38 (2) the total number of current members who self-identify as Female;  
39 (3) the total number of current members who self-identify as an Underrepresented 
40Minority or LGBTQ+; and  
41 (4) the total number of current members who self-identify