HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3831        FILED ON: 8/13/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3625

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Byron Rushing

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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 relative to the powers of the Boston Housing Commission.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3831        FILED ON: 8/13/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3625

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act relative to the powers of the Boston Housing Commission.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 2 of chapter 37 of the Acts of 1994 is hereby amended by inserting after the words "sexual orientation" the following:-

, source of income, gender identity, and any additional protected classes as they may be added from time to time by the General Court or the United States Congress with respect to fair housing laws.

SECTION 2. Section 4 of chapter 37 of the Acts of 1994 is hereby amended by inserting after the words "sexual orientation" the following:-

, source of income, gender identity, and any additional protected classes as they may be added from time to time by the General Court or the United States Congress with respect to fair housing laws.

SECTION 3. Section 5 of chapter 37 of the Acts of 1994 is hereby amended by deleting the first sentence and inserting in place thereof the following two sentences:-

In the city of Boston, discriminatory housing practices are prohibited. Regulations promulgated pursuant to this statute and chapter ten of the city of Boston Ordinances of 1982, as amended, enumerate the discriminatory practices; provided, however, that no practice shall be prohibited hereunder unless such practice is also prohibited by the federal Fair Housing Act or chapter one hundred and fifty-one B of the General Laws.

SECTION 4. Section 7 of chapter 37 of the Acts of 1994 is hereby amended by inserting in the second sentence, after the words "permanent residence," the following:-

, unless with respect to the sale or rental of such unit, any person makes, prints, publishes, or causes to be made, printed or published, any notice, statement or advertisement that indicates a preference, limitation, exclusion or discrimination based upon any category of people protected by City, state, and federal fair housing law, as those categories may from time to time be

amended; or coerces, intimidates, threatens, or interferes with another person in the exercise or enjoyment of any right granted or protected by this statute, or coerces, intimidates, threatens or interferes with such other person for having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment of any such right granted or protected by chapter ten of the city of Boston Ordinances of 1982, as amended, or this statute.

SECTION 5. Section 7 of chapter 37 of the Acts of 1994 is hereby further amended by inserting before the first sentence of the third paragraph thereof, the following sentence:-

If the commission shall determine after investigation that probable cause exists for crediting the allegations of a complaint, the commission shall immediately endeavor to eliminate the discriminatory housing practice complained of through conciliation and mediation.

SECTION 6. Section 8 of chapter 37 of the Acts of 1994 is hereby amended by inserting after the second sentence thereof the following sentence:-

The order or decision of the commission shall be reviewed in accordance with the standards for review provided in paragraph (7) of section fourteen of chapter thirty A of the General Laws.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect upon its passage.