WBA ANNOUNCES 2014 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

27 School Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA  02108

Ph: 617.973.6666    Fax: 617.973.6663   www.womensbar.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WBA ANNOUNCES 2014 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Women’s Bar Association Highlights Priorities in Second Year of 2013-2014 Session

BOSTON, MA – March 19, 2014 – Today the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA) shared its 2014 Legislative Agenda with legislators at the Massachusetts State House at the organization’s Legislative Breakfast. This annual event provides the organization the opportunity to share the group’s priorities with Massachusetts legislators as well as to meet and congratulate newly elected legislators.

WBA President-Elect Kara DelTufo provided opening remarks and thanked the event’s host, Representative James O’Day, a legislatorwho has been recognized for his commitment to issues related to women’s access to health care.

Nicole Forbes, co-chair of the WBA Legislative Policy Committee, then acknowledged newly elected and other attending legislators and followed by introducing the speakers to discuss their support for some of the WBA priorities for 2014:

• Health Education: Representative James O’Day spoke about H 3793, An Act Relative to Healthy Youth, sponsored by the Representative and former Senator Katherine Clark.  The bill ensures that if a school in Massachusetts teaches sexuality education, it will provide students with information about abstinence, delaying sexual activity, healthy relationships and healthy behaviors free of coercion, effective contraceptive use, and sexually transmitted infections. The bill has advanced to the House Ways and Means Committee.

   

• Domestic Violence: Barnstable Assistant District Attorney and WBA Board Member, Lisa Edmonds, spoke about S 1897, An Act Enhancing Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence, originally sponsored by Senator Cynthia Stone Creem as well as several other legislators. The comprehensive domestic violence bill, which has already passed the Senate, prohibits the use of accord and satisfaction in domestic violence cases and correct flaws in MGL ch. 265 § 13M.  In addition, the bill provides workplace protections to victims of domestic violence, requiring employers with 50 or more employees to provide up to 15 days of leave per year for a victimized employee to take time to deal with court, housing, health or other issues related to the abuse. The bill also includes provisions dealing with strangulation. The bill has advanced to the House Ways and Means Committee.

• Comparable Work: Rebecca Pontikes, WBA Board Member and Employment Attorney at Pontikes  Law LLC, followed by discussing An Act Further Defining Comparable Work, H 1767, sponsored by Representative Ellen Story and Senator Patricia Jehlen, and H 1702, sponsored by Representative Thomas Calter. The bill would add four objective characteristics (skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions) with which to compare jobs under the existing Comparable Work statute, MGL c.149§105A. [The legislature’s Labor & Workforce Development Committee recently redrafted the bill (now H 3883)to create the Massachusetts Pay Equity Commission within the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to study the issue and propose recommendations to the legislature]. The WBA highlighted the original bill at their Equal Pay Lobby Day event last October at the State House.

Ann Morse Hartner, co-chair of the WBA Legislative Policy Committee, then announced and urged action on the other WBA legislative priorities for 2014: Earned Paid Sick Time (S 900/H 1739), Promoting Financial Stability and Asset Development (S 37/H 93), Equitable Coverage in Disability Insurance (S 427/ H838), and Legal Services funding (budget line item 0321-1600).                     

The WBA’s Legislative Policy Committee is the legislative arm of the Women’s Bar Association. Its dedicated members track the development of priority items, identify new issues that require the WBA’s support, and share information about the legislative process with attorneys across the state.

“We thank the many legislators and aides that attended the event today. The WBA will continue to serve as a resource on the social and legal issues affecting women and their families in the state, and we look forward to working with the legislature for the remainder of the session to advance our priorities including health education, domestic violence protections and equal pay,” said WBA President-Elect Kara DelTufo.

About the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts

Founded in 1978 by a group of activist women lawyers, the Women’s Bar Association boasts a largemembership of accomplished women lawyers, judges, policy makers, and law students across Massachusetts. The WBA is committed to the full and equal participation of women in the legal profession and in a just society.The WBA works to achieve this mission through committees and taskforces, and by developing and promoting a legislative agenda to address society’s most critical social and legal issues.  Other WBA activities include drafting amicus briefs, studying employment issues affecting women, encouraging women to enter the judiciary, recognizing the achievement of women in the law, and providing pro bono services to women in need through its sister organization, the Women’s Bar Foundation.  For more information, visit
www.womensbar.org.