Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 20:23:04 -0500 From: "David Casti" Subject: ACTION ALERT: Massachusetts Submitted by: Ed Childs From: MGLPC@aol.com Subject: HATE CRIMES BILL ACTION ALERT Date: Fri, 19 Jan 1996 15:51:24 -0500 ACTION ALERT FRIDAY, JAN. 19, 1996 MASSACHUSETTS HATE CRIMES BILL H.5191 From: Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus P.O. Box 246 State House Boston, MA 02133 TEL (617) 262-1565 Email MGLPC@aol.com BACKGROUND The Hate Crimes Bill (H.5191) may come to the Massachusetts Senate floor for a vote on Monday, January 22. The legislation, first drafted and filed by MGLPC in 1992, would add the categories of sexual orientation and disability to a current statute which sets penalties for bias-motivated cases of assault, assault and battery, and property damage. The bill would also increase the maximum prison sentence for such a crime. H.5191 essentially gives victims and prosecutors more tools for dealing with the perpetrators of hate crimes, and makes gaybashing or bashing people because of their disabilities an explicit civil rights violation. H.5191 passed the Massachusetts House of Representatives on June 27 and received initial approval by the Senate on September 18. Final approval by the Senate is being sought on Monday. WHAT YOU CAN DO You can make a real difference in the outcome of this legislation by contacting your state senator ON MONDAY MORNING and asking for his or her support of this bill. Tell him or her in your own words why this issue matters to you. If you want more information about the importance of this legislation, the text of MGLPC's testimony before the Criminal Justice Committee in April 1995 is available on our Web page which is currently located at http://www.actwin.com/MGLPC. Following is a list of Massachusetts State Senators who should be contacted. Please call or write only if you live in that senator's district. If you're not sure which district you live in, please email us, including your complete street address, and we will look up your senate district for you. We have noted below which senators are cosponsors of the hate crimes bill. If you contact them, please be sure to thank them and request their continued active support. Name - Room - Phone - City or Town Amorello, Matthew - Rm. 314 - TEL (617) 722-1485 - Grafton *Antonioni, Robert - Rm. 109E - TEL (617) 722-1230 - Leominster Bernstein, Robert - Rm. 218 - TEL (617) 722-1544 - Worcester Berry, Frederick - Rm. 320 - TEL (617) 722-1410 - Peabody Birmingham, Thomas - Rm. 212 - TEL (617) 722-1481 - Chelsea Clancy, Edward - Rm. 410 - TEL (617) 722-1350 - Lynn Creedon, Michael - Rm. 413C - TEL (617) 722-1200 - Brockton *Durand, Robert - Rm. 109C - TEL (617) 722-1120 - Marlborough *Havern, Robert - Rm. 512 - TEL (617) 722-1432 - Arlington *Hicks, Lucille - Rm. 413F - TEL (617) 722-1572 - Wayland **Jacques, Cheryl - Rm. 213A - TEL (617) 722-1555 - Needham Jajuga, James - Rm. 216 - TEL (617) 722-1604 - Methuen Keating, William - Rm. 504 - TEL (617) 722-1222 - Sharon Knapik , Michael - Rm. 309 - TEL (617) 722-1415 - Westfield Leahy, Daniel - Rm. 416A - TEL (617) 722-1630 - Lowell Lees, Brian - Rm. 308 - TEL (617) 722-1291 - E. Longmeadow *Magnani, David - Rm. 413A - TEL (617) 722-1640 - Framingham Melconian, Linda - Rm. 213B - TEL (617) 722-1660 - Springfield Montigny, Mark - Rm. 413D - TEL (617) 722-1440 - New Bedford Morrissey, Michael - Rm. 520 - TEL (617) 722-1494 - Quincy Murray, Therese - Rm. 511C - TEL (617) 722-1330 - Plymouth Norton, Thomas - Rm. 312D - TEL (617) 722-1114 - Fall River O'Brien, John - Rm. 416B - TEL (617) 722-1612 - Andover Pacheco, Marc - Rm. 413B - TEL (617) 722-1551 - Taunton *Pines, Lois - Rm. 517 - TEL (617) 722-1639 - Newton Rauschenbach, Henri - Rm. 315 - TEL (617) 722-1570 - Brewster *Rosenberg, Stanley - Rm. 109B - TEL (617) 722-1532 - Amherst Shannon, Charles - Rm. 421 - TEL (617) 722-1578 - Winchester Swift, Jane - Rm. 407 - TEL (617) 722-1625 - North Adams Tarr, Bruce - Rm. 507 - TEL (617) 722-1600 - Gloucester Tisei, Richard - Rm. 313 - TEL (617) 722-1206 - Wakefield *Tolman, Warren - Rm. 405 - TEL (617) 722-1280 - Watertown *Travaglini, Robert - Rm. 511B - TEL (617) 722-1634 - Boston Walsh, Marian - Rm 424 - TEL (617) 722-1348 - Boston Wetmore, Robert - Rm. 312H - TEL (617) 722-1540 - Barre White, W. Paul - Rm. 109D - TEL (617) 722-1643 - Dorchester *Wilkerson, Dianne - Rm. 506 - TEL (617) 722-1673 - Boston * designates cosponsors ** designates lead sponsor  ------- end ------- ------ End of Forwarded Message --part_AD25AE280004FD7C00000002--