Speech  Auditor Bump Testified before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight in Support of Gender Parity on State Boards and Commissions

Good afternoon Chairman Pacheco, Chairwoman Gregoire, and members of the committee. I am pleased to join you today to testify in support of H.2711 and S.1878, An Act to Ensure Gender Parity on Public Boards and Commissions.

Victoria Woodhull, a leading suffragette, famously made the case for women’s access to the ballot when she said, “I ask the rights to pursue happiness by having a voice in that government to which I am accountable.”

During the one hundred years since women secured the right to vote nationwide, women have shown themselves to be dedicated, enthusiastic voters. In fact, female participation at the ballot box typically exceeds male voting levels. This demonstrates the value women place on their ability to select our leaders and to shape the social, governmental, and economic policy this drives this nation forward.

These bills take another logical and long overdue step. With them, we 21^st-century government reformers seek gender inclusion, as well as consideration of other demographic factors, when the Commonwealth wants citizen input into its policy-making and administration. Boards and commissions provide state government leaders and officials with important insights and are often charged with significant responsibility. When there is gender imbalance on them, and when other racial and ethnic groups are not included, the Commonwealth loses the opportunity to have all perspectives come to bear on a matter, and democracy and its people are the poorer for that.

I have been fortunate to experience and be part of society’s and government’s acceptance of expanded opportunities for women. When I was elected to the legislature in 1985, 65 years after passage of the 19^th amendment, I was just the 75^th woman to serve in the General Court. Today, 34 years later, 210 women have held a seat in the legislature, four women represent us in Washington, D.C., and the majority of our constitutional officers are women.

And so, when I am making appointments to those boards where I can, and when I am making hiring decisions, I require a diverse candidate pool and strive to maintain gender balance.

Women are gaining momentum, but we have yet to achieve full access to government decision-making. These bills provide an opportunity to accelerate that progress, and the accountability provisions in these bills, requiring the governor’s office to annually track and report the demographic data of appointees and applications to the public and appointing authority, are particularly important tools to ensure accountability.

With that, I ask that you join me in support of these important bills and act favorably on them.

Thank you again for giving me this opportunity to testify before you today.