With end of legislative session, trans rights bill dies quietly

With the Massachusetts legislative session ending July 31, advocates expect the transgender non-discrimination and hate crimes bill, House Bill 1722, is effectively dead for the year.

In March the Joint Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing on the bill but voted to send it to study, a maneuver often used to kill legislation quietly. Gunner Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), said he does not expect the bill to escape from study before the end of the session, but he does not believe the bill's failure gives any indication of the level of support for the bill on the committee.

"I think they just ran out of time," said Scott, who said since the hearing on H.B. 1722 the committee has wrestled with a number of complex and contentious issues, such as CORI reform.

Scott said MTPC plans to continue lobbying lawmakers to build support for the bill, and they expect to refile it next January. This fall Scott said MTPC would meet with its strategic partners to plot a strategy for the next year.

One potential obstacle to advocating for the bill in 2009 is funding. This year marks the first time that MTPC has had enough funding to hire Scott as a full time paid staffer, but he said currently the organization has enough money to keep him on only through the end of this year. The organization plans to continue fundraising to keep Scott onboard in his current capacity by continuing to apply for grants, solicit donations and secure sponsorships from community organizations.

And this Halloween MTPC will launch a new costume ball fundraiser, the first major fundraiser in the organization's history. Scott hopes the event will draw a crowd of about 150 to 200 people to support the organization.

"Trans people are taking back Halloween," Scott quipped.