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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1788 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1639
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Jay D. Livingstone and Christine P. Barber
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to address gender based price discrimination.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jay D. Livingstone8th Suffolk1/18/2023Christine P. Barber34th Middlesex1/18/2023Mindy Domb3rd Hampshire1/18/2023Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/19/2023Michelle M. DuBois10th Plymouth2/7/2023 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1788 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1639
By Representatives Livingstone of Boston and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by
bill, House, No. 1639) of Jay D. Livingstone, Christine P. Barber and others for an investigation
by a working group (including members of the General Court) relative to gender-based price
discrimination. The Judiciary.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to address gender based price discrimination.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. There shall be a working group on gender equity regarding the pricing of
2items marketed for sale towards women in the Commonwealth to better understand gender-based
3price discrimination on the state level. The working group shall consist of the following
4members or their designees: 2 people appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
52 people appointed by the Senate President; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on
6financial services; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on consumer protection and
7professional licensure; 1 person appointed by the attorney general; the chair of the permanent
8commission on the status of women; the president of the Women’s Bar Association of
9Massachusetts; 1 person to be appointed by the office of the State Treasurer, 1 person appointed
10by the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, and 2 persons to be appointed by the governor.
11 SECTION 2. Not later than 30 days after the effective date of this act, the working group
12shall convene to study the costs and differences or lack thereof based on target marketing based 2 of 2
13on gender. The working group shall submit its findings, along with any legislative
14recommendations, to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives not later than
15December 31, 2024.