MA H1608

Amends the definition of "Harassment" in Chapter 258E to include 3 or more acts of willful and malicious conduct intended to cause fear, intimidation, abuse, or property damage, as well as acts involving sexual coercion or violations of specified criminal statutes

Expands the hate crime statute (Chapter 265, Section 39) to explicitly include gender identity as a protected category alongside race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and disability

Penalties for bias-motivated assault, battery, or property damage include fines up to $5,000 and/or imprisonment up to 2.5 years in a house of correction

Extends hate crime protections to cover attacks on relatives of targeted individuals, not just the primary victim