Good News and Bad News from Beacon Hill

Lost in the flurry of bills that recently advanced in the State Legislature was the long awaited passage of the Transgender Rights Bill. While the gaming legislation got all the attention from the press, the Commonwealth made significant steps to ensuring civil rights to a somewhat invisible and terribly misunderstood segment of our society.

Both my fellow blogger, Steve Iannaccone and I have written about this on Patch. I think we both were astounded that the bill made it out of the Judiciary Committee and moved to passage so quickly.

No small amount of thanks is due to our members on Beacon Hill. Both Senator Tom McGee and Representative Lori Ehrlich have long sponsored and championed this bill which would forbid discrimination in employment and housing based on one’s sexual identification. Over 33,000 Massachusetts residents identify themselves as transgendered.  

I asked Lori: “Why now?”

“We were relentless in insisting that it get done”, she replied. “The most vocally supportive were Rep. Carl Sciortino and Rep. David Linsky and they deserve a heap of credit but I have been outspoken too. … Once we were able to demonstrate that we had the votes to pass it, which was by a very slim margin at some points, I think it became a question of when.”

That’s the Good News, realized by years of hard work and dogged politicking by a few dedicated legislators. The Bad News was caused by technological failure. The Boston Herald reported:

During the highly anticipated House vote on gaming, the “squawk box” in state representatives’ offices that alerts them to upcoming roll-call votes crashed, causing several legislators to miss their window to vote.

No one may have been more disappointed about the electronic snafu than state Rep. Lori Ehrlich (D-Marblehead), whose missed vote ended her perfect attendance and 100 percent voting streak dating back to 2008 when she was sworn into office. Ehrlich, who still got credited with a late vote (though it was marred by the presence of an asterisk next to it), said she had hoped the streak would have been ended by something a little more meaningful.

“I make an attempt to be present and engaged,” Ehrlich told the Herald. “I also know full well that oftentimes life intervenes with illness or tragedy. I just didn’t think my record would be mired by a breakdown in the State House PA system.”

 Thanks Lori. You are still our champion.