Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2098 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1280 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2098
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Tricia Farley-Bouvier
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act codifying organizational standing.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tricia Farley-Bouvier2nd Berkshire1/14/2025 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1280 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2098
18	18	By Representative Farley-Bouvier of Pittsfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
19	19	2098) of Tricia Farley-Bouvier relative to public interest organizations under employment
20	20	discrimination laws. Labor and Workforce Development.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act codifying organizational standing.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 151B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
30	30	2amended by inserting after the word “corporations”, the following:- , “public interest
31	31	3organizations” and by inserting after Section 1 the following subsection:- “1A. The term “public
32	32	4interest organization” includes any non-profit organization which is organized or operating in
33	33	5whole or in part for the purpose of combating discrimination or bias, of safeguarding civil rights
34	34	6or of promoting interests or rights under this Chapter.”
35	35	7 SECTION 2. Section 5 of chapter 151B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
36	36	8amended by inserting after the words “required by the commission” the following sentence:-
37	37	9“Without limiting or excluding any other basis for a complaint, a public interest organization
38	38	10may be aggrieved if a purpose or activities to achieve that purpose were perceptively impaired by
39	39	11an alleged unlawful practice or violation; or if an alleged unlawful practice or violation was
40	40	12directed at the public interest organization or its agents or employees; or where the public 2 of 2
41	41	13interest organization has a sufficient nexus to the interests of the person or persons whose
42	42	14interests are harmed by an alleged unlawful practice or violation.”
43	43	15 SECTION 3. Section 9 of chapter 151B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby
44	44	16amended by inserting after the words “residential housing” the following sentence:- “Without
45	45	17limiting or excluding any other basis for a civil action, a public interest organization may be
46	46	18aggrieved if a purpose or activities to achieve that purpose were perceptively impaired by an
47	47	19alleged unlawful practice; or if an alleged unlawful practice was directed at the public interest
48	48	20organization or its agents or employees; or where the public interest organization has a sufficient
49	49	21nexus to the interests of the person or persons whose interests are harmed by an alleged unlawful
50	50	22practice.”