Rep. Lewis has filed the following bills to address civil and human rights issues:
An Act to Prohibit Human Trafficking: The issue of human trafficking is often underreported, misrepresented, or misunderstood, and there are literally hundreds of people facing forced labor, sexual servitude or other shockingly inhumane treatment on a daily basis in Massachusetts, with little protection or recourse. This bill provides a comprehensive approach to combat human trafficking, protect public safety, and help victims to rebuild their lives.
An Act to Prohibit the Participation of Healthcare Professionals in the Torture and Abusive Treatment of Prisoners: Previous presidential administrations, in their legal memoranda describing protocols for the torture of detainees and prisoners, relied heavily on the participation and influence of healthcare professionals. This legislation is based on international treaties, standards and federal laws defining torture as well as the ethical standards of healthcare professionals defining torture and abuse. This legislation will protect the professionalism of Massachusetts-licensed healthcare professionals by authorizing and obligating them to refuse to participate in torture and abusive treatment of prisoners.
An Act to Protect Privacy and Personal Data: This bill protects Massachusetts residents’ privacy, personal data, and First Amendment rights in the context of government data collection. It prohibits law enforcement collection of information about individuals’ political and religious views, associations, or activities without reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct. It also establishes practical standards to ensure that government collection of our personal information is conducted in a secure, accountable manner with appropriate transparency and oversight structures.
An Act to Promote Divestment from Nations Engaged in Genocide and Egregious Human Rights Abuses: This bill requires the Massachusetts legislature to examine the feasibility of divesting pension fund assets from companies doing business in any nation which has been established to be engaged in genocide or egregious human rights abuses against its own people.
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Representative Lewis has also co-sponsored several pieces of legialtion dealing with civil and human rights:
An act prohibiting discrimination in insurance policies
An act relative to transgender equal rights
An act promoting responsible investment and the prevention of genocide
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You can see a full list of the legislation Rep Lewis has filed or co-sponsored here.