Status of critical culture war bills – good and bad – now in Mass. Legislature
The LGBT movement's War on Children continues in the State House!
POSTED: January 15, 2016
When the 2015-2016 Massachusetts legislative session began, we published our comprehensive list of the destructive anti-family bills and good pro-family bills that had been filed in the State House.
It is particularly disturbing that nearly all of the anti-family bills being pushed by the LGBT movement and Planned Parenthood are targeting children.
In the flurry of activity before the Christmas break, many bills got new numbers (and some changes in text). Several education-related bills disappeared as the Joint Education Committee "combined" them into the Planned Parenthood bill (which really didn't change it much). And disturbingly, some major anti-family bills have moved forward.
It's necessary for pro-family people to stay on top of this and be ready to take action. Below is an updated list of the bills with their status. We will continue to update this list as things happen.
Major anti-family bills –
by the LGBT lobby & Planned Parenthood
The following three bills are the biggest threats from the LGBT/sex-ed lobby. They are NOW making their way through the Legislature, and could be passed at any time if we don't fight hard. All three are major goals of the radical lobby and are VERY dangerous . Last session these same bills were stopped with the help of MassResistance! But this year they have much more lobbying power behind them.
Ban mental health counseling to youth on sexual orientation issues.
H97 - "An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity in minors"What it does: This cruel and dangerous bill is being aggressively pushed by the LGBT lobby in state legislatures across the country. It would ban all professional counseling to youth who want help with their unwanted homosexuality or transgender issues. Many youth in this situation have been sexually molested and desperately need help. This is basically the same bill we helped defeat last year, and it's back again.
Status: Stalled; currently before the full House, but has "hold" on it. Public hearing was July 28, 2015. Subsequently passed through three House committees.
MassResistance posts on H97:
Courageous pro-family testimony at public hearing
About the anti-therapy bill H97
LGBT lobby's outrageous testimony at public hearing
Lobbying in State House to stop H97
Bill H97 stalled in Mass. House
Transgender public-accommodations / "bathroom bill".
H1577 - What it does: This bill is a major goal of the LGBT lobby this year. It extends the infamous transgender rights and hate crimes law passed a few years ago to also cover public accommodations – including restrooms, locker rooms, gyms, and anything used by the public. If this passes, men dressed as women can use all women's restrooms and locker rooms, and vice versa. This is also being pushed across the country.
;
Status: Also filed as S735. Both bills are in Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Public hearing was held on October 6, 2015. House Speaker says he will bring H1577 out as soon as he has the votes to override a Governor's veto.
Planned Parenthood comprehensive sex-ed -- mandate in schools
S2062 - "An act relative to healthy youth"
What it does: This “comprehensive sex ed” bill is Planned Parenthood’s major legislative goal for this session. It is outrageous. If a school decides to teach any sex-ed, it would have no choice regarding the content. It requires public schools to teach broad sexuality and "relationship" issues, both normal and homosexual, in all grades, as well as abortion information. It also requires compliance with the infamous radical Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Frameworks, which is currently optional for schools. Throwing a bone to pro-family groups, the bill directs schools to teach about abstinence -- but in conjunction with the “importance” of using contraception and “safer sex activity,” which defeats the purpose. The bill also waters down the current Parental Notification Law.
Status: This bill passed the full Senate on Nov. 18 (see our report here). It is now in the House Ways and Means Committee. It could move forward to the full House for a vote at any time.
(Public hearing was June 3, 2015.
)
Other "active" anti-family bill
This bill is not a major bill but nevertheless is dangerous, and has moved forward. It needs to be kept from passing.
Allow children to get Planned Parenthood services without parents' knowledge by hiding the insurance information.
S2138 - "An Act to protect access to confidential healthcare"
What it does: This bill, sponsored by Planned Parenthood, allows children to get contraception and other sexual related “health” services (including in some cases abortions) that are paid for by health insurance, without the knowledge of the health insurance subscriber (i.e., the parent).
Status: On 2/25/16, passed full Senate second reading, with one amendment adopted. Will now go to full Senate third reading.
Originally was filed as and S557 in Joint Committee on Financial Services. Public hearing was held on July 21, 2015. House version was passed by two committees and came out as H3920, tied to updated Senate version S2081.
Major pro-family bills –
supported by MassResistance
These two bills are both being heavily promoted by MassResistance and others in the pro-family movement.
Protect schoolchildren from graphic and intrusive surveys on personal issues
H382 - What it does: Written by MassResistance, this bill requires parental notification and consent for questionnaires, surveys, and similar evaluations given to schoolchildren regarding certain private, personal, and family issues. Many of these surveys are also quite graphic and sexually explicit. It's become a huge problem for parents.
See further description of bill here.
Status: Currently in Joint Committee on Education. Public hearing was on May 6, 2015. See our report here. No action taken by committee yet.
Prohibit schools from referring kids to outside (adult-run) LGBT organizations without parents' knowledge or consent
H408 - "An Act relative to parental notification for out-of-school-district counseling referrals"
What it does: This bill was written to protect parents and students from school officials steering vulnerable kids to hardcore outside homosexual organizations without parents’ knowledge or consent. There was a last-minute phrase added to this bill that we’re not comfortable with, but this bill still should still be passed.
Status: Currently in Joint Committee on Education. Public hearing was on May 12, 2015. No action taken by committee yet.
OTHER BILLS - Alive but not "active"
These bills are all technically still alive, but are on currently the sidelines and not moving through committee. But any of them could still come to life.
Anti-family bills
Assisted suicide bil
H1991 - "An Act affirming a terminally ill patient’s right to compassionate aid in dying"
What it does: This is the “Assisted Suicide” bill that was thankfully voted down by in a state-wide referendum in 2012. Rep. Kafka files it every session, but we doubt it will get traction this time. Similar to bills being pushed nationally.
Status: Still sitting In Joint Committee on Public Health. Public hearing was on Oct. 27, 2015. No action has been taken.
Allow "gay" kids to legally emancipate themselves from parents (to live in state-funded LGBT homes)
S860 - "An Act An act relative to youth emancipation"
What it does: This insidious anti-parent bill initiates a program where “youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning” can declare themselves “unaccompanied and without a guardian” and be handed over to the care of homosexual groups. The parents will have no more parental rights over their child. The homosexual groups can use state funds for housing and support services to "care for" the child.
n
Status: Referred to Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Public hearing was on Nov. 3, 2015. No action has been taken.
Allow young girls to get abortions without parents' consent
H2070 - "An Act to improve health care for young women"
What it does: This is an evil bill that would allow a girl fifteen years old or younger to get an abortion without the consent of her parents. A “medical professional” (i.e., Planned Parenthood employee), other adult family member, or a judge could authorize the girl's abortion instead of the parents.
Status: Currently in Joint Committee on Public Health. Public hearing was on June 2, 2015. No action has been taken.
Various bills to repeal the “sodomy laws” and similar morals statutes still on the books
H1568 H1569 H1572 H1573
H1653
What it does: Most people aren’t aware that Massachusetts law still refers to homosexuality as “the abominable and detestable crime against nature.” There are also a number of similar laws still on the books. Some examples are found in: Chapter 272, Section 34 (“Crimes against nature" -- homosexuality and bestiality) and Chapter 272, Section 35 (“Unnatural and lascivious acts”). Every session the “progressives” try to repeal them, often by filing multiple bills to do the same thing. So far, we’ve managed to keep them all from passing.
Status: All are currently in Joint Committee on the Judiciary. The public hearing for bills H1568, H1569, H1572, and H1653 was held on July 14, 2015. The hearing for bill H1573 was on Oct. 21, 2015. No action has been taken on any of these bills.
Pro-family bills
Eliminate the Massachusetts "LGBT Youth Commission"
H2781 - What it does: Written by MassResistance, this bill would dismantle the state-funded Massachusetts Commission for Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth. That widely-reviled group includes some of the most radical homosexual and transgender activists in the state. This "Commission" receives hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to push explicit homosexual and transgender programs in the public schools, as well as at off-campus “Youth Pride” day activities.
See a further description and text of bill here.
Status: Referred to Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. Public hearing was on Nov. 9, 2015.
Protect single-sex public restrooms, locker rooms, etc., from transgender law
H1320 - "An Act relative to privacy and safety in public accommodations"
What it does: This is a well-meaning bill, but it doesn’t go far enough. It basically protects single-sex public facilities and education facilities from the transgender/cross-dressing agenda and the latest push to extend the current transgender rights law into public accommodations. (We think that ALL areas of life, including employment, housing, etc., should be protected from this government-forced lunacy.)
Status: Referred to Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Public hearing was on Oct. 6, 2015.
Terminated bills --
rolled into the Planned Parenthood bill
The three bills below have essentially disappeared for this session because the Joint Committee on Education "combined" them, along with others, into a new House version of the Planned Parenthood comprehensive sex-ed bill, bill H3754. This does not make sense because some of the bills (such as the "opt-in" bill) directly contradict each other. So it appears that this was just a way to easily get rid of those other bills. However, the question is moot because, as noted above, the Senate version of the Planned Parenthood bill is the one which has moved forward, and H3754 is likely abandoned.
Updated Parents' Rights "opt-in" bill regarding sexuality and LGBT programs and education in schools
H439 - "An Act regarding parental notification and consent"
What it does: Written by MassResistance, this is an effective Parents Rights Opt-In bill that has been badly needed for years. It amends the current parental notification law, Ch. 71 Sec. 32A, written by Parents' Rights Coalition (now MassResistance) and passed in 1996, expanding upon it and modernizing it to address current conditions. In particular, it makes these controversal topics "opt-in" like other school topics. The current "opt out" approach has not worked. The current law is also outdated and prone to abuse, particularly on homosexual and transgender issues.
See further description of bill here.
Sponsor: Rep. Joe McKenna Co-Sponsors: Jim Lyons, Shawn Dooley, Marc Lombardo, Donald Humason, Angelo D'Emilia, Donald Berthiaume, Randy Hunt, Kevin Kuros, Nicholas Boldyga
Status: Originally in Joint Committee on Education. Public hearing was on June 3, 2015.
Alternative "sexuality education" bill for schools
H339 S248 - "An Act providing health education in schools"
What it does: This bill requires all schools to teach “age-appropriate” sexuality education and requires compliance with the infamous Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Frameworks, which is currently optional. It also waters down the current Parental Notification Law.
Sponsors: (House) Marjorie Decker; (Senate) Harriette Chandler
Status: Originally in Joint Committee on Education. The public hearing was on June 3, 2015. .
Alternative "comprehensive sex-ed" bill for schools
H366 - "An Act regarding comprehensive sexual education and violence prevention programs"
What it does: Another “comprehensive sex” bill targeting children. This bill uses the excuse of “violence prevention” to require that schools in all grades teach about HIV/AIDS, reproduction, sexual health, "family life," and similar topics.
Status: Originally in Joint Committee on Education. The public hearing was on June 3, 2015.
