Bill > H4537

This bill establishes new legal protections against sexual harassment specifically targeting professional investors doing business in Massachusetts. The bill defines key terms such as "professional investor" (which includes banks, investment companies, venture capital funds, and other financial institutions) and creates specific prohibitions against sexual harassment in business investment contexts. Under the new law, it would be unlawful for a professional investor to make sexual advances, request sexual favors, or engage in sexually inappropriate conduct either directly or indirectly when such conduct is used as a basis for investment transactions or creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive business environment. Individuals or businesses who experience such harassment can sue the professional investor in court and potentially receive compensatory, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, as well as seek injunctive relief. The attorney general is also empowered to bring enforcement actions against professional investors who violate these provisions. The law provides a three-year statute of limitations for filing such actions and is intended to be interpreted broadly to accomplish its purpose of preventing sexual harassment in professional investment settings.