Urge the Massachusetts Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight to support Anti-Discrimination Language.
The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bipartisan bill S.1689/H.1685: Act Act Prohibiting Discrimination in State Contracts, filed by Senator Cynthia Creem, Representatives Paul McMurtry and Steven Howitt and supported by over 1/3 of the Legislature.
This bill prohibits the state from contracting with companies that are engaged in discrimination, including those that boycott Israeli businesses solely based on their nationality. Singling out and refusing to deal with a business owner based on an immutable characteristic —national origin in the BDS context—is a form of discrimination and taxpayer funds should not be used to subsidize this conduct.
The bill sends a clear message that hate and bigotry have no place in our Commonwealth and leverages the state’s procurement power to strengthens existing anti-discrimination laws that protect individuals from being targeted based on a broad range of characteristics including race, gender, color, religion, national origin and sexual orientation. This bill echoes similar anti-BDS laws passed in several other states as well as an executive order in New York and underscores the strength of the Massachusetts-Israel relationship.
Take Action Now!
Click here to urge Committee Chairs to support the Creem. McMurtry/Howitt Bill.
For more information about this bill, download our one-pager (PDF)
Click here to learn if your legislator has signed on!
New! Read the letter of support from the New England Regional Council of Carpenters (PDF)
End discrimination in the Commonwealth: read the Friday message from our Director of Government Affairs
Chilling Discriminatory Conduct
Read the July 24, 2017 Boston Globe op/ed by Jeremy Burton
Time for progressives to “prove it”
Read the Boston Herald story on the Anti-BDS movement
Read the Bill:
S.1689 – An Act Prohibiting Discrimination in State Contracts (PDF)
H.1685 – An Act Prohibiting Discrimination in State Contracts (PDF)
Read Our Statements:
We Stand Together Against Discrimination – January 25, 2017
Update on MA Anti-Economic Warfare (BDS) Legislation – July 15, 2016
JCRC Statement Supporting Legislative Action Rejecting Economic Warfare Against Israel – February 24, 2016
JCRC Applauds MA Legislature for Unanimous Support of US-Israel Ties, Rejecting Delegitimization – October 26, 2015
