UPDATE July 31, 2022: The 2022 MA legislative session ended without moving this bill forward. GLAD will continue to advocate for legislation and policy to improve confinement conditions for LGBTQ+ people and individuals at risk for or living with HIV.

GLAD is advocating for the RIGHTS Act (An Act to Promote Rehabilitation, Including Guaranteed Health, Treatment, and Safety for Incarcerated LGBTQI+ People – S.1566 / H.2484) in partnership with Black and Pink MA.

The goal of this bill is to improve conditions of confinement for LGBTQ+ people and those at risk for, or living with, HIV. Across the nation, incarcerated LGBTQ+ people experience high rates of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. This legislation works to address the basic needs of incarcerated LGBTQ+ people: safety, housing, healthcare, and affirming programming. The bill also aims to reduce the use of solitary confinement and require data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity.

You can learn more about this bill on the RIGHTS Act Factsheet from Black and Pink MA. Lead sponsors on this bill are Rep. Jack Lewis and Sen. Julian Cyr.