Trying to pass the transgender civil rights bill
by Erica L. Kaufman
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition media intern
Tuesday Apr 27, 2010
http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=blog&sc2=news&sc3=&id=105060 (http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=blog&sc2=news&sc3=&id=105060)
The day that we find out the legislators' decision on the Transgender Civil Rights Bill (H. 1728/S. 1687) "An Act Relative to Gender-Based Discrimination and Hate Crimes" is rapidly approaching. But those of us at the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC), and others who have dedicated their time to trying to pass the bill, are not sitting idly by waiting for the Senators and Representatives to report. There is still work to be done, and still time to affect major change.
Despite having majority support in both the House and the Senate, the passage of the Transgender Civil Rights Bill is anything but certain. The bill is still in the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and just this week an amendment was filed to attach it to the House Budget #764. This means that the Senators and Representatives are still debating whether or not to pass or defeat the bill. This is a crucial time for action.