LGBT bill to ban therapy for youth on sexual orientation issues is stalled in Mass. Legislature
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| The Massachusetts State-house in Boston, Massachusetts (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
What happens in Massachusetts on “culture war”
issues is often repeated across America.
After weeks of hard lobbying to stop Bill H97 in
the Massachusetts Legislature. we’re happy to report some success. Just before
this week’s formal House session, a “hold“ was put on the bill and it was not
acted on. But the battle will continue.
Bill H97 is a
big part of the LGBT movement’s War on Children. It would make it illegal for
licensed therapists to give critical treatment to youth on sexual-orientation
or gender-identity issues. It’s particularly devastating for kids who have been
sexually molested and need help dealing with the emotional fallout.
Similar bills
have been rejected by
20 states and passed in three. But they consider
Massachusetts a major goal to get it moving everywhere else. It’s being pushed
here by a coalition of state and national pro-LGBT organizations. And of
course, it’s being actively opposed by MassResistance.
MassResistance
activists lobby in the Mass. House
As we’ve
reported, Bill
H97 was on track for House passage. It was co-sponsored by 36 legislators – a
“who’s who” of the far-left contingent. It glided through three committees. It
was put the calendar for the formal House session for a so-called “second
reading” on Jan. 21, then postponed to Jan. 27.
MassResistance
quickly got moving. Last week
teams of MassResistance activists went office to office in the State House.
They handed out material and explained it.
We left no doubt about how bad this bill is! It turned out, that was the right approach.
In addition,
our activists from across Massachusetts and all over America (as far away as
New Mexico and California, and even from Canada) called, emailed, and engaged
the Mass. State Reps on the dangers of this bill.
Our people really came through! One
man in New Jersey, who
had been molested by several homosexuals as a teenager and subsequently
struggled for years with homosexual behavior, was
particularly upset. He wrote a very moving letter concerning H97 which he
emailed to Massachusetts State Reps. He gave us permission to post it. Read his letter here.
Once they
were properly educated, a surprising number of Democrats as well as Republicans
realized how terrible this bill is and why it is so unpopular around the
country.
A
“hold” put on the bill – blocking it for now
Word got
around the State House.
The day
before the Jan. 27 House session we were informed by a Republican legislative
director an official “hold” had been put on H97 by the GOP leadership. Sure enough,
when it came up during the session the chair announced it had a hold and it was
skipped.
But Bill H97
will continue to be on the calendar. The next formal session which will likely
be this Wed., Feb. 3. A “hold” on a bill by the minority party is tenuous.
There are ways for the other side to overrule the hold. But the fact that a lot
of Democrats are also against the bill is significant – and the
bipartisan opposition seems to be growing.
We
are optimistic. Even
if it is voted on and passes the “second reading” in one of the upcoming House
sessions, it would go to another House committee before it comes back to the
full House for a final vote. A lot can happen – and we hope to make things
happen! n
A number of
professional groups, including the American College of Pediatricians have contacted
MassResistance and have prepared excellent materials for us to distribute in
the State House. Just this week, a psychiatrist representing a group based in
Arizona sent us dozens of copies of an important book, A Young Man’s Journey – Healing for young
men with unwanted homosexual feelings, to deliver to legislators. (The
group has already sent copies directly to the leadership and key committee
members.)
We will be passing these out soon. And we will keep you up
to date on what’s happening – and what you can do to help.
Status
of other critical bills to watch:
Here’s the
status of are two other major bills by the LGBT movement and allied radicals in
the State House:
- Planned Parenthood bill mandating
comprehensive sexuality in schools. (S2062). Passed the Senate
and is in the House Ways and Means Committee. At this time it does not
seem to be moving. We’ve been told that Committee members are not pushing
for it.
- Transgender public-accommodations
“bathroom” bill. (H1577). Is still in the
Judiciary Committee, but could emerge at any time. According to news
reports, they’re waiting to see if the leadership can get a “veto-proof”
majority in favor of it. Even the trans activists don’t seem to have a
handle on when that could happen.
A
final note
A lot of
people think that “liberal” legislatures are impenetrable. We say: Not true! Keep trying!
Reprinted
with permission from Mass
Resistance.
