Massachusetts Chapter of NOW

The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States.

The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women (Mass. NOW) has about 5,000 members
and 9 local chapters throughout the state.

Support Equality in Massachusetts:

Contact Your Legislators About

These Important Bills TODAY!

Week of July 21, 2008

Tell your Legislators to:

Support Gender Neutral Annuities (S2729/H901)

and

OPPOSE Gender Discrimination

in Savings Bank Life Insurance Policies (H949)

Did you know that women and men pay the same price for annuity policies in Massachusetts, but because women are presumed to live longer, they receive smaller monthly benefits than their male counterparts?

Mass. NOW has been working to overcome this inequity for thirty years! That's right: for the past thirty years in Massachusetts, women's rights supporters have filed legislation to ensure that annuity policies remain gender-neutral. This is a matter of fairness for all women, but especially elderly women. Annuity policies are used for retirement income, and therefore are crucial to the survival and quality of life of elderly citizens. If elderly women are not receiving their fair share of monthly annuity benefits, this greatly impacts their ability to support themselves financially.

Champions of women's equality in Massachusetts, Senate President Therese Murray and Representative Ruth B. Balser, each filed legislation on this important issue; their bills are now combined: S2729 (H901). Very recently, the Senate unanimously passed this legislation! Now its time to make sure the House does the same. Representatives need to hear from constituents that this bill must pass THIS SESSION!

In addition to asking your Representative to support S2729 (H901), we're asking that you urge him or her to OPPOSE H949, which may come up for a House floor vote this week as well. H949 would undo gender-neutrality for the Savings Bank Life Insurance Company, and flies in the face of equal-rights ideology. It is a huge step backwards in the long history of trying to make insurance purchasing and benefits equal for men and women

Please call your Legislator TODAY with this simple message: PASS S2729 (H901) and OPPOSE H949 - for the good of all women in the Commonwealth, especially our elderly.

To find out who your Legislators are, go to: www.wheredoivotema.com.

To contact your Legislators, go to: www.mass.gov/legis

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Be sure to visit our "Media" section

Mass. NOW is looking for Interns!

Please check out our exciting Internship opportunities by visiting our "Join Us" page:

http://www.massnow.org/join.html

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and check out Mass. NOW's Most Recent Op-ed!

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Since its founding in 1966, NOW's goal has been to take action to bring equality for all women.
NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society, secure abortion, birth control, and reproductive rights for all women, end all forms of violence against women, eradicate racism, sexism, and homophobia, and promote equality and justice in our society.

We hope you enjoy our new Website - please contact Mass. NOW if you have any suggestions or comments.
Thank you for taking the time to learn more and help women across the commonwealth.
The time is NOW to get active in your local chapter of Mass. NOW.

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