PHOTOS: State Treasurer Reads To Kids at McAuliffe Library For National Financial Literacy Month

Legislation would force Mass. pension fund to sell gun stocks

Two legislators filed a bill Thursday that would require the Massachusetts pension fund to sell its shares in companies that make firearms and ammunition, following up on a pledge from the state treasurer to use investment power to force change in the gun industry.

State Representative Lori Ehrlich and State Senator Cynthia Creem crafted a bill that would require the pension fund, which invests $71 billion for state workers, to divest its holdings in companies that derive 15 percent or more of their revenue from the sale of ammunition, firearms, or related accessories for civilian purposes. The pension fund is actively invested in six such companies, for a total of about $5 million.

The office of State Treasurer Deb Goldberg oversees the pension fund but can only divest if directed by the Legislature. Massachusetts has a long history of divestment, including from tobacco stocks and companies that do business in Sudan or Iran.

“As gun violence tears at the fabric of our nation and Congress is unable to act even in the face of overwhelming support, it is time for state stewards to ensure our retirement savings and pension funds are not profiting from that violence,” Ehrlich, a Marblehead Democrat, said in a statement.

Creem, a Newton Democrat and Senate majority leader, said, “By enacting this bill, Massachusetts will stand with thousands of individuals and entities exercising their right as consumers to send the message that we must do more to stop gun violence.”

In February, shortly after the killing of 17 students and educators at a high school in Parkland, Fla., Goldberg told the Globe said she would push for divestment. She decided to take action when the Florida Legislature refused to ban the sale of assault weapons similar to the one used in the school shooting.

“It is clear that traditional approaches have not worked,” Goldberg said in a statement Thursday.

The state pension’s holdings are too small for any divestment to have an effect on gun stocks, but if other states and institutions follow suit, it could force the industry to make guns safer.

According to the treasurer’s office, Connecticut, Florida, and New Jersey are exploring options to sell their holdings in gun stocks in the wake of the Parkland shooting. Others, such as California and New York City, have already withdrawn from many gun holdings after the 2012 shooting at a school in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 first-graders and six educators.

Over the past month, big institutional investors, including BlackRock and State Street, have begun to engage gun companies on a more responsible way to sell their products. Retailers that sell guns — including Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods — have also recently raised the minimum age of gun buyers to 21.

Shirley Leung is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at shirley.leung@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @leung.

Treasurer Deb Goldberg Kicks Off Re-Election Campaign for State Treasurer

With the crowd overflowing from the room, State Treasurer Deb Goldberg kicked off her re-election campaign last night. Goldberg, who was introduced by House Speaker Robert DeLeo, spoke of how her principles and values have guided her tenure as State Treasurer.

“Economic stability, economic opportunity, and economic empowerment are the values I was raised with and what guides my work as your State Treasurer,” Goldberg told the crowd. “I am proud of what we have accomplished and am excited to continue to work for the people of Massachusetts as your Treasurer.”

In introducing Goldberg, DeLeo said, “Deb understands that the role of the Treasurer’s office is not just about dollars and cents; it is about making people’s lives better. The programs she has created have had a positive impact for our children, our families, our veterans and seniors across this Commonwealth. Deb Goldberg has made good on all the promises she made when she ran, and she has truly made a difference in people’s lives.”

DeLeo continued, “Massachusetts is lucky to have Deb Goldberg as our Treasurer. I know she can and she will do even more for our Commonwealth and our residents in the future.”

Since taking office in January of 2015, Deb Goldberg has brought a commonsense business approach to the management of the treasury’s various offices. Leading on initiatives that include wage equality, increasing diversity, and expanding access to financial education, she has also helped families save for college, protected the state’s pension fund and developed programs for veterans and seniors. For more information, contact Treasurer Goldberg’s campaign at info@wordpress-25461-877216.cloudwaysapps.com.

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