Mattiello Announces Study Commission to Review Sexual Harassment in Workplace
Tuesday, April 03, 2018
GoLocalProv Business Team
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Nicholas Mattiello
Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello has appointed members of a new legislative study commission who will be in charge of reviewing existing state laws and recent federal policy recommendations meant to protect individuals against sexual harassment in the workplace.
The appointments include Representative Tanzi, Rep. Camille F.J. Vella-Wilkinson (D-Dist. 21, Warwick); Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett); Rep. Evan Patrick Shanley (D-Dist. 24, Warwick); Rep. Antonio Giarrusso (R-Dist. 30, East Greenwich, West Greenwich); Central Falls Police Chief James Mendonca, representing the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association; Cheryl Burrell, director of the Rhode Island Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity; Special Assistant Attorney General Victoria Goetz representing the Attorney General’s office; Michael Evora, executive director of the Rhode Island Human Rights Commission; Jill Andy, senior vice president of human resources at Amica Mutual Insurance Corp; and Wendy Becker, associate professor at Rhode Island College, representing the LGBTQ community.
The Study Commission
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The commission is sponsored by Representative Teresa Tanzi and was approved by the House of Representatives on March 20, 2018.
It was formed is in response to the national discussion about the significance of sexual harassment prompted by the #metoo movement.
“Women were given equal protection under the law through the implementation of Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and it was applied for the first time specifically to sexual harassment in the workplace in 1986. It has been 54 years since Title 7 and 32 years since the Supreme Court decision, and it’s long past time to review our state’s laws to ensure they are effective,” said Tanzi.
The commission is tasked with completing its work and reporting to the House of Representatives by May 17 and would expire June 7.
Along with the commission, Speaker Mattiello also instituted anti-harassment training for legislators and staff after meeting with Tanzi about the issue.
Related Slideshow: Growing List of Alleged Sexual Harassers
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Politics
Members of the Rhode Island House of Representative
State Representative Teresa Tanzi said she has been the victim of sexual harassment in the RI State House by a fellow male legislator.
Rhode Island State Police and Attorney General Peter Kilmartin are investigating the charges.
The State Police and Kilmartin Released the Following Statement
“Yesterday, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin contacted Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety, regarding allegations of sexual harassment at the Rhode Island State House made by Representative Teresa Tanzi. The two agencies are working together to review the allegations. As is the policy of both the State Police and the Attorney General’s Office, the two agencies are not going to be making further comment with respect to the status of or direction of the inquiry.”
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