A new law requires that men and women be paid equally for comparable work in Massachusetts.

On Mon., Aug. 1, 2016, during a Statehouse ceremony, Massachusetts Republican governor Charlie Baker signed a pay equity bill into law.

According to a report from CBS Boston, the new law, which will take effect July 1, 2018, requires that men and women be paid equally for comparable work in the state of Massachusetts. Data currently shows that women are now being paid an average of 82 cents for every dollar that their male counterparts make for comparable work.

In addition to mandating equal pay for men and women, CBS Boston reported that the new law also prohibits employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s salary history, which sometimes creates a cycle of lower salaries for women. However, prospective employees are allowed to voluntarily provide previous salary information.

Under the new law, employees are allowed to discuss their salaries with colleagues, and there will be now retribution from employers, CBS Boston reported.