This bill replaces Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in the Massachusetts General Laws. Changing the 2nd Monday in October to Indigenous People’s Day acknowledges the harmful impact of celebrating Columbus as a hero. Historical accounts prove that wherever they went, Columbus and his men murdered and enslaved Indigenous People. The repercussions continue to be keenly felt even now. Indigenous Peoples Day replaces something negative with something positive – an increased awareness of Indigenous Peoples and a celebration of Indigenous resilience and survival, in MA as well as throughout the Americas. To learn more, you can watch a recording of the Indigenous People's Day Teach In hosted by our friends at United American Indians of New England.
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the decision makers
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Who on committee has co-sponsored:
state senators:
Nick Collins (D)
Boston
chair
Joan Lovely (D)
Salem
chair
John Velis (D)
Westfield
Bruce Tarr (R)
Gloucester
Liz Miranda (D)
Boston
Marc Pacheco (D)
Taunton
state representatives:
Antonio Cabral (D)
New Bedford
chair
Chynah Tyler (D)
Boston
chair
Christopher Markey (D)
Dartmouth
Estela Reyes (D)
Carmine Gentile (D)
Sudbury
Michelle Ciccolo (D)
Lexington
Mary Keefe (D)
Worcester
Judith Garcia (D)
Chelsea
Rodney Elliott (D)
F. Jay Barrows (R)
Mansfield
Peter Durant (R)
Spencer
Who has co-sponsored:
History of the bill
2025
Dec 2024
No further action taken
Jun 2024
Reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
Jul 2024
Placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting (under the last sentence of Rule 7A, requiring a bill be considered if no action was taken by the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling for 30 days)
Feb 2024
Reporting date extended to July 1, 2024
2024
Jan 2023
Bill re-introduced as H.2989/S.1976
Oct 2023
Hearing held by Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Jan 2023
No further action taken by the House Committee on Steering, Policy, and Scheduling
Feb 2023
Referred to the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulator Oversight
2023
Jun 2022
Reporting date extended to July 15th, 2022
Feb 2022
Reporting date extended to April 15th, 2022
Jul 2022
Bill reported favorably by the committee and referred to the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling
Apr 2022
Reporting date extended to June 30th, 2022
2022
Sep 2021
Hearing held by Committee on State Admin and Regulatory Oversight
Mar 2021
Referred to the Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight
Jan 2021
Introduced as H.3191
2021
Nov 2020
Sent to Study (Study Order: H.5105)
2020
May 2019
Hearing held by the State Admin and Regulatory Oversight Committee
Jan 2019
Referred to the Committee on State Admin and Oversight
Jan 2019
Introduced as H.3665
2019
Advocacy Organizations
MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda
Indigenous Peoples Day MA