Legislative Update: Lifting the Cap on Kids and Banning Conversion Therapy
On Wednesday, March 13th 2019, the Massachusetts State House of Representatives passed legislation to ban conversion therapy on minors and legislation to expand access to public assistance for families. Both bills were priorities of mine this session (and past sessions) and I am excited vote for them to pass the House. More information about each can be found below.
Lifting the Cap on Kids
H. 104 - An Act to lift the cap on kids
- This bill repeals a 1990's punitive welfare reform that did not allow a family to receive additional welfare benefits for children born after the family started to receive benefits.
- The current law means that parents have to split meager benefits meant for one child between two children. Parents typically receive $100 per month per child.
- The bill directs that the Department of Transitional Assistance, which oversees the program, to implement the changes by 9/1/19 with aid retroactive to 1/1/2019.
Banning Conversion Therapy
H. 140 - An Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation
- Prohibits health care providers from advertising for or engaging in efforts that attempt or purport to impose change on the sexual orientation or gender identity of a patient less than 18 years of age.
- The controversial conversion therapy that this legislation would ban has been used to try to "convert" someone who is LGBTQ to being heterosexual, treating a person's sexuality as an illness rather than a part of who they are.