Overview
The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW) was established by Section 66 of Chapter 3 of the Massachusetts General Laws as an independent agency that is not subject to the control of any other Commonwealth department or agency. MCSW operates under the direction of a 19-member board of commissioners whose members serve three-year terms. In accordance with Section 66 of Chapter 3 of the General Laws, five commissioners are appointed by the Governor, four are appointed by the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, four are appointed by the President of the Massachusetts Senate, and six are appointed by the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators.2
According to MCSW’s page on the Mass.gov website,
The purpose of the Commission is to advance women and girls toward full equity in all areas of life and to promote rights and opportunities for all women and girls. The mission of the Commission is to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls across Massachusetts. The Commission stands for fundamental freedoms, basic human rights and the full enjoyment of life for all women and girls throughout their lives.
The MCSW page on the Mass.gov website states that in order to accomplish this mission, MCSW is authorized to perform a variety of activities, such as the following:
- Advise executive and legislative bodies on the effect of proposed legislation on women
- Inform leaders of business, education, health care, state and local governments and the communications media of issues pertaining to women
- Provide referrals and serve as a resource of information on issues pertaining to women
- Identify and recommend qualified women for positions at all levels of government
- Promote and facilitate collaboration among local women’s commissions and among women’s organizations in the state
- Serve as a liaison between government and private interest groups concerned with issues affecting women
- Assess programs and practices in all state agencies as they affect women.
MCSW has 11 regional commissions3 that help expand MCSW’s reach. MCSW’s website states,
Regional Commissions are comprised of 9–13 volunteer members who have had prior experience working towards the improvement of the status of women and exist to provide a positive and effective voice for women and girls in their respective regions. Regional Commissions’ duties include studying, reviewing, and reporting on the status of women and girls in the county; promoting and facilitating collaboration among local women and girl serving organizations; recommending policies that benefit women to agencies, officers of the state, and local government; and holding fact-finding hearings and other public forums as it may deem necessary. . . .
Commissioners are drawn from diverse . . . racial, ethnic, religious, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, and socio-economic backgrounds [throughout the state].
As of December 31, 2023, MCSW had seven full-time employees and 12 paid interns who support MCSW’s programs and events. MCSW’s annual state appropriations were approximately $1.2 million in fiscal year 2023, including supplemental funding awarded at the end of fiscal year 2022, and $486,700 in fiscal year 2022.
Annual Reporting
Section 66 of Chapter 3 of the General Laws states the following:
The commission shall conduct an ongoing study of all matters concerning women and shall be guided by the tenets of the Platform for Action of the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China in September, 1995. In furtherance of that responsibility, the commission shall: (a) study, review and report on the status of women in the commonwealth; (b) inform leaders of business, education, health care, state and local governments and the communications media of issues pertaining to women; (c) serve as a liaison between government and private interest groups concerned with issues affecting women; (d) serve as a clearinghouse for information on issues pertaining to women; (e) identify and recommend qualified women for appointive positions at all levels of government, including boards and commissions, as the commission deems necessary and appropriate; (f) assess programs and practices in all state agencies as they affect women, as the commission deems necessary and appropriate; (g) advise executive and legislative bodies on the effect on women of proposed legislation, as the commission deems necessary and appropriate; and (h) promote and facilitate collaboration among local women’s commissions and among women’s organizations in the state, as the commission deems necessary and appropriate. The commission shall annually, on or before June 2, report the results of its findings and activities of the preceding year and its recommendations to the governor and to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives.
Open Meeting Law
Section 20(h) of Chapter 30A of the General Laws states the following:
Within 2 weeks of qualification for office, all persons serving on a public body shall certify, on a form prescribed by the attorney general, the receipt of a copy of the open meeting law, regulations promulgated under section 25 and a copy of the educational materials prepared by the attorney general explaining the open meeting law and its application under section 19.
In addition, the MCSW Policy Manual states, “Commissioners are also required to attend an open meeting law training within 30 days of their appointment (and re-appointment) to the MCSW or any regional CSW.”
Conflict of Interest Law
Section 28 of Chapter 268A of the General Laws states,
The state ethics commission shall prepare and update from time to time the following online training programs, which the commission shall publish on its official website: (1) a program which shall provide a general introduction to the requirements of this chapter; and (2) a program which shall provide information on the requirements of this chapter applicable to former state, county, and municipal employees. Every state, county, and municipal employee shall, within 30 days after becoming such an employee, and every 2 years thereafter, complete the online training program. Upon completion of the online training program, the employee shall provide notice of such completion to be retained for 6 years by the appropriate employer.
| Date published: | December 27, 2024 |
|---|