By Bob Katzen

The Senate approved and sent to the House a proposal that would replace the name of the current “Commission on Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Aging” (LGBT) with “LGBTQ” (the Q represents queer and questioning).

The measure also adds four more seats to the commission — one each appointed by the Senate President, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House and House Minority Leader.

The commission was created to enhance the quality of life for LGBTQ older adults in the Bay State through state policy and program recommendations, collaborations, partnerships and advocacy.

The bill also replaces several other terms in the language that created the commission including replacing “elders” with “older adults” and ”Elder Affairs” with “Aging and Independence.”

Sponsor Sen. Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville) said she filed the bill after the commission’s current membership agreed that it was timely and appropriate to reflect the more inclusive terminology for the communities represented by the commission, along with name changes of numerous member offices and organizations over the course of the commission’s existence.