Gay rights activists and lobbyists at the Massachusetts State House have something to smile about. Finally.

After 17 years of legislative struggle, the Gay Civil Rights Bill, being debated again today in the Senate as Bill H.5427, is closer to becoming law than ever before in its stormy history on Beacon Hill.

The bill, aimed at prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment, housing or the granting of credit, passed the state House of Representatives just before last summer's legislative recess. Last Monday, it won a major procedural victory as the Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading passed it on to a vote before the fullSenate.

A simple majority of senators have pledgedtheir backing, and Gov. Michael S. Dukakis haspromised to sign it if it reaches his desk. Inaddition, the bill has garnered endorsements fromorganizations bearing such political punch as theBoston Bar Association, the Massachusetts Leagueof Women Voters and the state chapter of theNational Organization of Women.

"It has taken a long time to build up themomentum for victory," says Sen. Michael J.Barrett '70 (D-Cambridge), the bill's chiefsponsor in the Senate.

"It has a better chance than it ever had," saysDavid M. Osborne, an aide to Barrett. "But it'stoo early to be optimistic."

Ahead of the Crowd

Indeed while the time is ripe for the bill'spassage, it still faces powerful Senate opponents,numerous legislative hurdles and a belief held bysome conservative politicians that it representsan endorsement of "the homesexual lifestyle."

Similar obstacles did not deter Wisconsinlegislators from passing the only civil rightsstatutes against discrimination on the basis ofsexual orientation in the nation. Ten other statelegislatures are considering gay civil rightsbills, including Connecticut, Maine, New Jerseyand Vermont.

Attempts at halting housing discrimination inother states have already resulted ingroundbreaking decisions. This July, New York'shighest court was the first to give legalrecognition to gay partners by broadening thelegal defintion of "family" in a conflictinvolving rent control.

In a 4 to 2 ruling, the court allowed a gay manto remain in his deceased lover's New York Cityapartment despite city regulations that permitonly a surviving spouse and family members toinherit leases.

Later this summer, the San Francisco Board ofSupervisors passed the Domestic Partnership Law,making it the first major city in the country togive municipal recognition to any gay orheterosexual couple sharing a residence andwishing to declare their relationship. The law,however, is temporarily blocked by a petitioncontaining 27,000 signatures opposing it.

Barrett says Massachusetts is traditionally aleader in liberal agenda-setting for the nation.

"Massachusetts has always been ahead of thecrowd. Fights have always been hard, but in theend we still wind up ahead of the rest of thecountry," says Barrett.

Formidable Opposition