Statement on the American Muslim Commission Bill

By: State Senator Jamie Eldridge & Senator Vanna Howard (Bill Sponsors)

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their views regarding S.2134, An Act Promoting the Civil Rights and Inclusion of American Muslims in the Commonwealth. We appreciate hearing from engaged residents, and public feedback remains an important part of the legislative process.

Although the bill received a favorable report from the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, it did not advance to the Senate floor before the Massachusetts Legislature’s 2025–2026 formal legislative session concluded on July 31.

Given the questions and concerns raised about the legislation, I want to clarify its purpose and address some of the misinformation surrounding it.

This legislation would establish a state commission focused on studying issues affecting American Muslim communities in Massachusetts and ensuring that their perspectives, which are often absent from policy discussions, are included in decisions that directly affect them. The commission would serve in an advisory capacity and would not have the authority to create laws or impose mandates. Representing a district with a growing Muslim American population in an increasingly diverse state, I want to emphasize that I have found many members of the Muslim community to be in a particular intensity of hate and discrimination against them - due to their religion, their immigration status, and being people of color. 

If I had any doubts about this intensity of vitriolic attacks before this summer, the many hateful calls, emails and social media on this bill removed them - and reaffirms the need for an advisory board to address the concerns of Muslim Americans in Massachusetts, including Islamophobia.While I recognize that a commission focused on a single religion may raise concerns about the separation of church and state, I hope you can appreciate that the discrimination Muslim Americans experience extends beyond religion. It is often intertwined with racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, and harmful, inaccurate portrayals of Muslims that have been perpetuated in our society, particularly over the past 50 years.

S2134 would not promote or establish any religion. The separation of church and state remains unchanged. The purpose of the commission is to address civil rights, discrimination, civic engagement, and other issues affecting Massachusetts residents who are Muslim, not to advance religious doctrine or give a particular faith authority within state government.

Additionally, this approach is also not without precedent. In the FY25 budget, Massachusetts established a Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism, which was charged with examining the increase in antisemitism against Jewish Americans in Massachusetts, evaluating existing efforts to address it, reviewing hate crime laws, and recommending strategies and legislation. I was proud to vote for this legislation, and recommend you look at the report that came out of the commission. We hope to produce a similar report from the Muslim commission.

The need for this work is supported by the experiences of Muslim residents in Massachusetts. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MA)’s bullying report found that 48 percent of Muslim students surveyed in Massachusetts reported experiencing bullying, twice the national average, and 35 percent of students who wear hijab reported experiencing physical harassment in 2024. These are the individuals and families this legislation is intended to support by ensuring that policymakers better understand the challenges they face and can consider appropriate responses.

We recognize that constituents may disagree with this legislation, and we respect the right of residents to voice that disagreement. At the same time, there is a clear distinction between expressing opposition to a policy and directing hateful, demeaning, or threatening language toward our offices and staff. Unfortunately, our office has received outreach regarding this bill that has included deeply disrespectful comments and death threats. The nature and tone of some of this outreach further demonstrate why efforts to better understand and address anti-Muslim hate and discrimination are timely and important.

We also recognize that legislation can be improved through public feedback. As we consider redrafting and refiling this legislation next session, I will take into account the concerns and feedback we have received, while remaining committed to the underlying goal of ensuring that American Muslim residents are able to participate fully in the civic life of the Commonwealth and have their civil rights protected, just like everyone else.