Massachusetts. Governor's Office on Women's Issues.

The Governor's Commission on the Status of Women was established by Executive Order no. 81, June 3, 1971, by Governor Francis Sargent. The commission consisted of thirty-five members appointed by the governor for one-year terms, representing business, government, labor, education, the health professions, and social welfare services. Executive office members included the commissioners of administration, community affairs, labor and industries, public health, mental health, public welfare, commerce and development, and education; the directors of the divisions of civil service and employment security; and the chairman of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The committee was formed to survey and evaluate all statutes of the Commonwealth and all governmental programs and practices relating to the employment, health, education, and welfare of women in Massachusetts and to make recommendations to the governor for any changes in these deemed necessary. In addition it was to investigate the need for new and expanded services required for women as wives, mothers, and workers, including education, counseling, training and retraining, home services, and arrangement for the care of children of working mothers. The appointive membership was expanded to forty in 1972 (Exec Order 92).

By Executive Order no. 119, August 6, 1975, Governor Michael Dukakis revoked previous orders and established a new commission of the same name to include in its membership the commissioner of youth services. In this order he also called for the commission to attempt to have its recommendations enacted into law and to see that such enacted legislation be implemented. Provision was made for the commission to use the personnel resources of the Commonwealth to educate the citizens and elected and appointed officials concerning women's issues.

In 1979 Governor Edward King reorganized the commission by Executive Order no. 156, March 30, 1979. The appointive membership was reduced to twenty-five. Included on the commission ex officio, and reflecting the reorganization of state government into executive offices, were the secretaries of administration and finance, communities and development, and the commissioners of labor and industries, public health, mental health, public welfare, youth services, commerce and development, and education; the directors of the Division of Employment Security and of the Office for Children; the personnel administrator of the Division of Personnel Administration; and the chairman of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. The commission was directed to give special consideration to the causes and prevention of violent crimes against women, the treatment and prevention of child abuse, and the needs of displaced homemakers.

In Governor Dukakis's second term, the commission was again reorganized by Executive Order no. 230, August 3, 1983, which redesignated it as the Governor's Advisory Committee on Women's Issues. It was to be comprised of from twenty-five to thirty persons of diverse racial, ethnic, religious, age, sexual preference, and socioeconomic constituencies. The order directed that particular attention be paid to assure representation for homemakers, volunteers, welfare and working-class families, office workers, organized women workers, business women, professionals, educators, those in nontraditional positions, and representatives from various statewide organizations. There were no ex officio members, but tasks of the commission included assisting the governor's staff by representing the concerns and needs of women to the governor, the cabinet, and other policy makers; developing and reviewing budget recommendations and policy proposals; working with cabinet secretaries through interdepartmental task forces to determine policy; seeking the involvement of women's organizations, the Women's Legislative Caucus, and other women active in the formation and evaluation of state policy; working with the governor's staff in coordinating the work of volunteers and interns; and being responsible for outreach to all the women of the Commonwealth.

At this time a special advisor to the governor on women's issues was appointed, who by 1984 headed a Governor's office on Women's Issues. In 1987 the governor reduced the membership of the Advisory Committee on Women's Issues to from twelve to eighteen, and specifically directed that the committee work to assist the governor's advisor on women's issues (Exec Order 274).

From the description of Agency history record. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145429304