Lawmakers Bolster Their Anti-Harassment Policies.

• Author: Saucedo, Selena

The #MeToo movement of 2017 prompted lawmakers in several states to pass measures to combat sexual harassment in workplaces both inside and outside the legislature. Other legislative bodies modified chamber rules and internal personnel policies. From creating new offices to increasing training requirements to expanding the list of those subject to new policies, these reforms are reshaping the workplace culture in many state capitols.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives was an early adopter of post-#Me-Too changes, passing a sweeping rules reform package in 2018 after conducting a human resources audit and reviewing current policies and best practices. The House subsequently created the position of equal employment opportunity officer, charged with oversight of the chamber's anti-discrimination policy, including harassment, and implementing measures to prevent disparate treatment in the future. According to House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D), the changes made "represent some of the strongest measures in the nation when it comes to fostering a safe, professional workplace."

The Illinois General Assembly created a Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment in 2018 to conduct a review of the legal and social consequences of sexual harassment and to make recommendations for both the public and the private sectors. Lawmakers also passed legislation that requires the legislature to adopt sexual harassment policies, establish training for legislators, legislative staff and lobbyists, and create a hotline for reporting harassment.

The Massachusetts House and the Illinois General Assembly also focused on how internal harassment policies can include "third-party" actors in legislative workplaces--or people other than legislators and legislative staff. Including third-party actors in policies recognizes their access to and the interaction they may have with lawmakers and legislative staff. The Massachusetts rule defines third party as "any person visiting the House of Representatives, or conducting official business or work with any member officer or employee of the House." In other states, third parties can...