The trove of women and men saying that they have been sexually harassed or assaulted by powerful male figures has spurred state lawmakers across the country to take action.
In California, Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, recently announced that when the state Senate reconvenes in January, she will introduce legislation to ban confidential settlements in sexual assault, sexual harassment and sex discrimination cases. The bill would help others from becoming victimized, she said.
“Secret settlements in sexual assault and related cases can jeopardize the public — including other potential victims — and allow perpetrators to escape justice just because they have the money to pay the cost of the settlements,” Leyva said.
In recent weeks, more people across various industries have come forward after women in Hollywood shared stories of harassment and rape by film producer Harvey Weinstein. In the Weinstein cases, some women had signed confidentially agreements or reached secret settlements.
“It completely stemmed from the Harvey Weinstein allegations,” Leyva said of her planned legislation in an interview with the Washington Examiner. But Leyva, who says the legislation would keep the names of victims anonymous if they choose, wants her legislation to apply not just to Hollywood but to all industries, including public employers, in the state.
“I thought, ‘It’s time. This is ridiculous,'” she said. “It’s 2017. It’s still shocking to me that women are working in an environment where they are sexually harassed.”
Similar accusations have come from other industries, such as the media. Last year, 21st Century Fox settled confidentially with Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson after she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the late Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes. Multiple women also have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment by Mark Halperin, a former senior political analyst for MSNBC, as well as by Michael Oreskes, NPR’s head of news.
The news has caused national lawmakers to take a closer look at their workplaces. Both House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi have voiced support for sexual harassment training, which isn’t currently required in the House. A bipartisan Senate resolution to mandate sexual harassment prevention training in the upper chamber also has been introduced.
In California and other states, lawmakers have felt compelled to act given the stories that have emerged from their own capitols accusing lawmakers of sexual misconduct. Complaints have occurred in Washington state, Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts, Florida, Minnesota, and Illinois.
Some lawmakers who have denied allegations have nevertheless been removed from leadership positions. The Kentucky speaker of the House, Jeff Hoover, resigned from his position after reports of a secret sexual harassment settlement surfaced, though he did not resign as a state representative and he denied the accusations. Florida Sen. Jack Latvala denies accusations from women accusing him of unwanted touching, but he was removed Monday as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
When asked about the possibility of pushback against legislation that targets sexual harassment, Leyva said lawmakers haven’t come out to oppose her proposal but noted she received questions last year about false accusations when she pushed forward a bill signed into law in California that ended the statute of limitations on rape.
“We have to make sure our culture at the capitol is a culture where women will feel comfortable coming forward,” she said.
Other states are looking at their own policies to see whether they should be overhauled. The Democratic state House speaker in Massachusetts, Robert DeLeo, started a review of the chamber’s sexual harassment policies.
In Illinois, hundreds of women signed an open letter in which they described behavior they had experienced, such as a committee chairman telling a female staffer she has a “nice ass” and contacting women late at night to ask them what they are doing.
“Every industry has its own version of the casting couch. Illinois politics is no exception,” the letter read. “Ask any woman who has lobbied the halls of the Capitol, staffed council chambers, or slogged through brutal hours on the campaign trail. Misogyny is alive and well in this industry.”
In response, the Illinois legislature passed a bill last week to require lawmakers, staff, and lobbyists to undergo 1.5 hours of sexual harassment training. Lobbyists also will have to submit their harassment policies, which lawmakers are already required to do.
Steve Brown, press secretary for Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, said the legislature wanted to pass the bill before the session ended.
“The best way to be true to the intent of what we are talking about is to address it immediately,” he said.
Madigan, who led the effort, also announced the creation of a task force to study other changes that workplaces, both public and private, can make to curb harassment.
As for Leyva, she hopes she can continue to pass other bills affecting women in the workplace.
“I’m in it for the long haul,” Leyva said. “I want to change the game.”
