Issue Position: Advocate for Equal Rights

Issue Position

A top priority for Representative Balser has been women's equality. Her legislation to prohibit discriminatory practices against women in the pricing of annuity policies and disability policies have both become law. (The first of these two was signed by Governor Patrick in 2008; the second by Governor Baker in 2019.) She cosponsored the successful Massachusetts pay equity legislation and she is currently a cosponsor of legislation that will protect women's access to reproductive health care, drafted out of concern that the new US Supreme Court may threaten women's abortion rights.

Representative Balser was proud to have worked with her colleagues to protect equal marriage rights in Massachusetts. During the first constitutional convention on this issue Representative Balser received an "A" from the Boston Phoenix for her speech. Here's what the Boston Phoenix had to say:

"Separate but equal is not a part of civil rights, itis a violation of civil rights," Balser said near the beginning of one of the most thoughtfully constructed and argumentative speeches of the day. She pierced the argument that marriage has been hetero for millenia with the magnificent observation that "we have a historic opportunity to expand our definition of love and marriage." She read from an American Psychological Association report to refute arguments that same-sex marriage is bad for children. She spoke of other movements for equality that had faced opposition. In scope, language, and passionate delivery, Balser's speech may have been the best of the day.

Representative Balser continues to fight for equal rights for the LGBT community. She co-sponsored the legislation that granted equal rights to transgender individuals, signed into law by Governor Patrick. The following term, she cosponsored the legislation that extended the protections to trangender individuals to public accommodations, signed by Governor Baker.

Representative Balser is committed to ensuring that all immigrants have the same equal rights protections as all other residents of the Commonwealth. This session she is the lead House sponsor of An Act to protect the civil rights and safety of all Massachusetts residents, also known as the "Safe Communities Act", legislation that will protect the due process rights of all the people who reside in Massachusetts.

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