Update: This important bill has now been scheduled to be heard in the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight and we need to urge the members of this committee to vote in favor of this important legislation. Use the form below to send a message to the committee members now!
The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bipartisan bill An Act Prohibiting Discrimination in State Contracts, filed by Representatives Paul McMurtry and Steven Howitt, and Senators Cynthia Creem and Bruce Tarr.
This bill prohibits the state from contracting with companies that are engaged in discrimination including those that boycott Israeli businesses. 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 strengthen 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 follows similar anti-BDS laws passed in several other states and underscores the strength of the Massachusetts-Israel relationship.