Lawmakers differ on effective date of transgender proposal

BOSTON (AP) — State Senate President Stan Rosenberg says the most significant difference between two versions of a transgender rights bill under consideration by lawmakers is the timing of when the proposed law would take effect.

The House has passed a version with an effective date of Jan. 1, 2017. A version approved by the Senate would take effect immediately upon being signed by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

Both versions would prohibit discrimination against transgender people in public accommodations.

The House added language to the bill that targets "improper" claims of gender identity. Rosenberg indicated Monday that he doesn't expect this to be a sticking point in negotiations between the two chambers.

The Amherst Democrat said lawmakers are committed to completing work on the bill. The legislative session ends July 31.

When Rosenberg took the gavel as state Senate president in January 2015, he claimed a number of firsts: The first Jew and the first openly gay person to lead a legislative chamber in the state. Rosenberg was the first Senate leader in more than four decades to hail from western Massachusetts.

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The Gayly - 6/6/2016 @ 4:03 p.m. CDT