Bill > H1921

This bill creates a new chapter in Massachusetts law (Chapter 151G) to protect against sexual harassment by professional investors, which are defined as financial entities or institutional investors such as banks, insurance companies, venture capital funds, and other investment-related organizations. The bill makes it unlawful for professional investors to make sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or engage in other sexually-oriented conduct when such actions are either tied to investment transactions or create a hostile, intimidating, or offensive business environment. Individuals or businesses injured by such conduct can sue the professional investor in court, seeking damages including compensatory, incidental, consequential, and punitive damages, as well as potential injunctive relief. The attorney general is also empowered to bring enforcement actions against professional investors who violate these provisions, with similar potential remedies. The law provides a three-year statute of limitations for bringing actions and specifies that it should be interpreted broadly to accomplish its purpose of preventing sexual harassment in investment-related contexts. Importantly, the bill defines several technical terms like "venture capital company" and "derivative investment" to clearly delineate the scope of its protections and applicability.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1921