23 July, 2015
BOSTON – On Tuesday, July 21st, Senator Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland) testified at the State House in support of three important pieces of legislation to ensure equality and justice for women in Massachusetts.
The Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development heard testimony on Senator Spilka’s Women on Boards Resolution and the Equal Pay Bill, bills that would encourage equitable and diverse gender representation on boards of directors in Massachusetts and help to bridge the gender wage gap. The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on Senator Spilka’s bill to protect access to confidential health care, the PATCH Act.
The Women on Boards Resolution is a non-binding resolution to encourage companies to increase the number of women on their boards of directors and in their senior management ranks. California and Illinois have passed similar resolutions to improve gender diversity on boards in those states.
The positive effects of greater diversity on boards are well-documented, yet the representation of women in leadership remains low. Women hold 14.9% of board seats and 11.8% of executive officer positions in the 100 largest public companies in Massachusetts. Twenty-four of these companies have no women on their boards, 46 have no women executive officers and 19 have no women on their boards of directors or in their executive suites.
“We need to help create a pipeline for female leaders and open doors for more women. We need to empower all women to make their voices heard,” said Senator Spilka. “This is not a women’s issue. This is a business issue and an economic development issue. The future of the Massachusetts economy depends on bringing the best talent to the table.”
Senator Spilka was joined by co-sponsor Representative Pat Haddad (D-Somerset), Malli Gero, Co-Founder and President of 2020 Women on Boards and a panel of local business leaders, who shared firsthand how their companies have embraced diversity on their boards: Bennie Wiley, President of The Wiley Group; Bob Rivers, President and Chief Operating Officer at Eastern Bank; Javier Barrientos, Senior Director, Global Diversity and Inclusion at Biogen; and Kevin Maggiacomo, President and CEO of Sperry Van Ness.
In advance of the hearing, Senator Spilka joined Attorney General Maura Healey, State Treasurer Deb Goldberg, the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, the Equal Pay Coalition and other legislators at a rally to highlight the importance of the Equal Pay Bill, filed by Senator Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville) and Representative Jay Livingstone (D-Boston).
“Equal pay for equal work should be a no brainer,” said Senator Spilka. “Women working hard to support their families deserve fair pay. It is time for action to bridge the gender wage gap and ensure equal pay. It is time for equality and opportunity for all women.”
In Massachusetts, women who work full time earn approximately 80.8% of men’s earnings. A report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research projects that the gender wage gap in Massachusetts will not close on its own until 2058.
“In the mid-1980s, one of my first jobs was in the state’s Office of Employee Relations working on the issues of comparable worth and pay equity,” said Senator Spilka. “It’s very disappointing that almost thirty years later, we still have work to do on these issues. If we do nothing, a girl born today would be 43 years old when the pay gap finally closes. That is nearly 70 years of inequality and injustice.”
The Equal Pay Bill seeks to bridge the wage gap in three main ways: ensure equal pay for comparable work, establish pay transparency and require fairness in hiring practices.
The Joint Committee on Financial Services heard testimony on a variety of bills related to women’s health, including Senator Spilka’s PATCH Act, which aims to protect patient confidentiality by requiring personal health information on Explanation of Benefits forms to be sent directly to patients, safeguarding the privacy of people who are dependents on another person’s health plan.
“Patient confidentiality is a foundational element of the patient-provider relationship,” said Senator Spilka. “Unfortunately, victims of abuse or minors are often reluctant to seek certain types of treatment, fearing that their abuser or parent will learn these details. This bill would ensure that all patients have confidential access to the health care they need.”
Co-sponsor Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow), Attorney General Maura Healey and advocacy organizations in the Protecting Access to Confidential Health Care Alliance also testified in support of the PATCH Act.
Immediately following the hearing, the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development reported favorably on the Women on Boards Resolution, moving the bill along in the legislative process. The Equal Pay Act and the PATCH Act are still under review in their respective Committees.
