OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Kennedy Statement on Mass Transgender Equality Bill

Statement

Date: May 12, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Congressman Joe Kennedy III today released the following statement applauding passage of S. 735, An Act Relative to Transgender Anti-Discrimination, by the Massachusetts State Senate.

"In this country the guarantee of basic civil rights isn't optional -- it's essential. Passage of S. 735 brings Massachusetts one step closer to joining the list of states where transgender citizens are afforded the equality our Constitution guarantees and the basic protections most of us take for granted. I applaud Senator Rosenberg, Senator Chang-Diaz and the other elected officials who proudly cast their votes of support today. I look forward to continuing to work with the tireless advocacy community spearheading these efforts as the fight for equal protection in our Commonwealth moves to the House and then to the Governor's desk."

An outspoken advocate for transgender rights, Kennedy testified in support of S. 735 before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on the Judiciary last year. In Congress, he is a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus's bipartisan Transgender Equality Task Force.


Source
arrow_upward