Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S18 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1
2	2	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 18
3	3	Senate, February 2, 2023 -- Text of the proposed Joint Rules recommended by the Temporary
4	4	Committee on Rules to be adopted as the Joint Rules governing the 2023-2024 legislative
5	5	session.
6	6	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
7	7	_______________
8	8	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
9	9	(2023-2024)
10	10	_______________
11	11	JOINT RULES OF THE SENATE
12	12	AND
13	13	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
14	14	[The dates under each rule indicate when the rule and its amendments were adopted.]
15	15	Committees.
16	16	1. Joint standing committees shall be appointed at the beginning of the biennial session as
17	17	follows:-
18	18	A committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity;
19	19	A committee on Agriculture;
20	20	A committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets
21	21	A committee on Cannabis Policy;
22	22	A committee on Children, Families and Persons With Disabilities;
23	23	A committee on Community Development and Small Businesses;
24	24	A committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure;
25	25	A committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management;
26	26	A committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies;
27	27	A committee on Education;
28	28	A committee on Elder Affairs;
29	29	A committee on Election Laws; 2
30	30	A committee on Environment and Natural Resources;
31	31	A committee on Financial Services;
32	32	A committee on Health Care Financing;
33	33	A committee on Higher Education;
34	34	A committee on Housing;
35	35	A committee on the Judiciary;
36	36	A committee on Labor and Workforce Development;
37	37	A committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery;
38	38	A committee on Municipalities and Regional Government;
39	39	A committee on Public Health;
40	40	A committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security;
41	41	A committee on Public Service;
42	42	A committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion;
43	43	A committee on Revenue;
44	44	A committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight;
45	45	A committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy;
46	46	A committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development;
47	47	A committee on Transportation; and
48	48	A committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.
49	49	Each to consist of 6 members of the Senate, and 11 on the part of the House except the
50	50	committees on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, Economic Development and
51	51	Emerging Technologies, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Mental Health, Substance Use
52	52	and Recovery, Health Care Financing and Transportation which shall consist of 7 members of
53	53	the Senate and 13 of the House.
54	54	Within 4 weeks of the appointment of joint standing committees in the first annual session of the
55	55	General Court, each joint standing committee shall adopt rules of procedure regarding its
56	56	conduct. Said rules of procedure, together with any amendments, shall be filed with the Clerk of
57	57	the Senate and the Clerk of the House and shall be available to the public and members of the
58	58	General Court on the official website for the General Court.
59	59	Except as provided by Joint Rule 1E or 1F, each matter shall be referred only to 1 joint
60	60	committee for consideration and all reports of matters by joint committees shall be made to the
61	61	House or the Senate, under Joint Rule 4, not to another joint committee. The committee to which 3
62	62	a matter is initially referred may discharge the matter to another committee with jurisdiction over
63	63	the matter.
64	64	Matters referred by either the Senate or the House to its committee on Ways and Means shall be
65	65	considered by the respective committees of the 2 branches, acting as a joint committee, when, in
66	66	the judgment of the chairs of the respective committees of the 2 branches, the interests of
67	67	legislation or the expedition of business will be better served by such joint consideration. Matters
68	68	may also be referred to the committees on Ways and Means, of the 2 branches, as a joint
69	69	committee.
70	70	The committees on Rules, together with the presiding officers of the 2 branches, acting
71	71	concurrently, may consider and suggest such measures as shall, in their judgment, tend to
72	72	facilitate the business of the session and a majority vote of the 2 branches shall be required to
73	73	approve such recommendations.
74	74	In order to assist the House and the Senate in their: (1) consideration and enactment of new
75	75	legislation and modifications of existing laws, when either are deemed to be appropriate; (2)
76	76	evaluation of the effectiveness and administration of laws and programs previously enacted; and
77	77	(3) appraisal of the conditions and circumstances which may indicate the desirability of enacting
78	78	new legislation, the various joint committees shall have the following oversight responsibilities:
79	79	(i) each joint committee shall review and study, on a continuing basis, the implementation,
80	80	administration, execution and effectiveness of those laws, or parts of law, the subject matter of
81	81	which is within the jurisdiction of that committee, the administrative regulations adopted to
82	82	implement those laws, and those state agencies or entities having responsibilities for the
83	83	administration and execution of such laws;
84	84	(ii) in carrying out these review and study activities, each committee shall determine whether
85	85	such laws, administrative regulations and programs under those laws are being implemented in
86	86	accordance with the intent of the General Court and whether such laws, administrative
87	87	regulations and programs should be continued, curtailed or eliminated;
88	88	(iii) each committee shall also review and study any conditions and circumstances which may
89	89	indicate the necessity or desirability of enacting new legislation within the jurisdiction of that
90	90	committee, regardless of whether any matter has been introduced on that subject, and shall, on a
91	91	continuing basis, undertake research on matters within the jurisdiction of that committee. 4
92	92	Committees shall coordinate oversight activities, under the direction of the presiding officers of
93	93	both branches, to achieve the maximum objectives of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii).
94	94	Each committee may, upon completion of its oversight hearings, report to the General Court the
95	95	results of its findings and recommendations together with accompanying corrective legislation, if
96	96	any, by filing the same with the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Clerk of the Senate.
97	97	Copies of such reports shall be, whenever practicable, made available to all members
98	98	electronically and to the public via the Internet. The disposition of said reports shall be
99	99	determined by the Clerks with the approval of the Speaker and the President.
100	100	The Senate and House chairs of a joint committee may appoint subcommittees to investigate and
101	101	study any matter referred to said subcommittee. Any subcommittee so established shall be co-
102	102	chaired by a majority member of the Senate and a majority member of the House who are
103	103	members of the joint standing committee appointing the subcommittee. The composition of the
104	104	subcommittee shall be proportional to the composition of the appointing joint committee;
105	105	provided, however, that not less than 10 per cent of the subcommittee’s members shall be from
106	106	the minority party. Chairs of subcommittees shall not be considered chairs under section 9B of
107	107	chapter 3 of the General Laws. A subcommittee may, upon completion of an investigation and
108	108	study, report the results of the investigation and study together with legislation, if any, by filing
109	109	the same with the Senate and House chairs of the appointing joint committee.
110	110	Temporary employees of the general court assigned to a joint committee who are students at an
111	111	accredited education institution or employees or grantees of other non-profit organizations under
112	112	section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code may receive compensation from such
113	113	organization, according to that organization's regular program of providing such compensation
114	114	for temporary governmental or public service employment. A temporary employee's Senate or
115	115	House supervisor shall establish the employee's total compensation, shall verify that the sum of
116	116	the employee's state compensation, if any, and that any outside compensation the employee is to
117	117	receive under this rule would not exceed this total compensation, and shall file the written terms
118	118	of the employee's compensation with the Senate or House Human Resources Office, where it
119	119	shall be available for public inspection. The temporary employee shall sign a confidentiality and
120	120	ethics agreement provided by the Senate or House Human Resources Office.
121	121	The Senate and House Offices of Human Resources shall publish an employee handbook for
122	122	joint employees of both branches of the general court. The handbook shall be developed with 5
123	123	the advice and approval of both the Counsel to the Senate and the Counsel to the House. The
124	124	handbook shall address access by joint employees to the human resource related services and
125	125	programs of each branch of the general court. Joint employees shall complete any training
126	126	required by either branch of the general court, as may be agreed upon by the Senate and House
127	127	Offices of Human Resources. [Amended Jan. 6, 18 82; Jan. 5, 18 83; Jan. 7, 18 84; Jan. 8 and 26, 1885; Jan. 8, 18 86;
128	128	Jan. 12, 18 87; Jan. 9, 18 88; Jan. 28, 18 89; Jan. 8, 18 90; Feb. 2, 18 91; Jan. 11 and Feb. 10, 18 92; Feb. 7, 18 93; Jan. 8. 1894;
129	129	Jan. 7, 18 95; Jan. 7, 18 96; Jan. 11, 18 97; Jan. 10, 18 98; Jan. 9, 18 99; Jan. 22 and 29, 1901; Jan. 6, 19 02; Jan. 9, 19 03; Jan. 8,
130	130	19 04; Jan. 6, 19 05; Jan. 4, 19 07; Jan. 5, 19 10; Jan. 4, 19 11; Jan. 1, 19 13; Jan. 12, 19 14; Jan. 2, 19 18; Jan. 1 and 8 and Feb.
131	131	21, 1919; Jan. 7, 19 20; Jan. 5, 19 21; April 17 and 30, 1925; Jan. 5, 19 27; Jan. 7, 19 31; Jan. 6, 19 37; Jan. 4, 19 39; Jan. 1, 19
132	132	41; Jan. 3, 19 45; Jan. 2, 19 46; Jan. 6, 19 47; Feb. 1, 19 49; Jan. 7, 19 53; Jan. 7, 19 59; Jan. 30, 19 61; Jan. 7, 19 63; Jan. 12, 19
133	133	65; Feb. 24, 19 65; Mar. 10, 19 66; Jan. 30, 19 67; Jan. 7, 1971 ; July 23, 1974 ; Sept. 30 and Oct. 12, 1976 ; Nov. 3, 1981 ; Dec.
134	134	21, 1981 ; Mar. 15, 1982 ; Oct. 3, 1983 ; June 3, 1985 ; Jan. 25 and Mar. 14, 1988 ; Mar. 27, 1995 , June 12, 1995 ; July 17, 2003
135	135	; Jan. 26, 2005; July 21 and September 20, 2005; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb 12, 2009; Feb. 15, 2017; Mar 7, 2019; Mar. 25, 2021.]
136	136	1A. All meetings of joint committees acting concurrently, Senate and House standing
137	137	committees, special committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, and joint special
138	138	committees and committees of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 2 branches shall be
139	139	open to the public, unless a majority shall vote otherwise. [Adopted July 17, 1973. Amended July 18, 1974;
140	140	Feb. 12, 2009.]
141	141	1B. A joint standing committee shall hold a public hearing on each matter referred to it in each
142	142	legislative session. [Adopted June 3, 1985; Amended Feb. 12, 2009.]
143	143	1C. All joint standing committees shall schedule committee hearings, polls, and executive
144	144	sessions upon agreement of the chairs and so as not to conflict, to the extent feasible, with the
145	145	schedules of other committees and, to the extent feasible, the day of the week and times during
146	146	that day set aside for formal sessions by the respective branches from the first Wednesday in
147	147	January through the fourth Wednesday of April in the first annual session.
148	148	Hearings shall, to the extent feasible, be made available on a platform that permits remote public
149	149	participation from outside the hearing room through audio or video technology; provided,
150	150	however, the chairs may by agreement waive this requirement for technological, operational or
151	151	logistical reasons. Chairs shall schedule hearings that offer remote participation through
152	152	Legislative Information Services and the Sergeant-at-Arms. Members of the committee may
153	153	participate remotely and shall have the same privileges, rights and responsibilities as if the
154	154	member were physically present at the hearing location, and other members may offer remote
155	155	testimony before committees of which they are not a member. The agenda for such a hearing
156	156	shall specify how members of the public may access, monitor and participate in the remote 6
157	157	aspect of the meeting. Nothing contained herein shall limit the ability of a committee to meet in
158	158	executive session, prevent disruption or maintain decorum during the hearing. Committees may
159	159	adopt rules to govern the orderly and efficient operation of such hearings.
160	160	[Adopted June 3, 1985; Amended June 12, 1995; Mar. 7, 2019.]
161	161	1D. All meetings of joint standing committees, and special joint committees of the Senate and
162	162	House of Representatives, shall be open to the public, and any person shall be permitted to attend
163	163	any such meeting unless such committee convenes in executive session, as provided herein. All
164	164	joint standing committees shall determine a schedule for committee hearings to be held from the
165	165	beginning of the first annual session through the fourth Wednesday in June in said session. These
166	166	committee schedules shall be submitted to the Clerk of the House who shall cause them to be
167	167	published on the official website for the General Court. Establishment of such schedules shall
168	168	not preclude joint standing committees from scheduling additional hearings or meetings as
169	169	needed. No executive session shall be held except upon extraordinary circumstances and only
170	170	after the committee has first convened in an open session for which notice has been given, the
171	171	presiding officer has stated the purpose of the executive session, a majority of the committee
172	172	members present has voted to go into executive session, the vote of each member has been
173	173	recorded on a roll call vote, and the presiding officer has stated before the executive session if
174	174	the committee will reconvene after the executive session. The records of all such roll calls shall
175	175	be kept in the offices of the committee for the duration of the General Court during which said
176	176	vote was recorded, and shall be available for public inspection upon reasonable notice and during
177	177	regular office hours.
178	178	Committees shall provide to members of the committee either the text or comprehensive
179	179	summaries of the bills or other forms of legislative matters prior to the beginning of an executive
180	180	session or poll. Any recorded votes on a favorable or adverse report on an individual bill, taken
181	181	by roll call or electronic poll of each member, shall be posted on the website of the General
182	182	Court. All joint standing committees, and special joint committees of the Senate and House of
183	183	Representatives, shall notify the Sergeant-at-Arms of the time, place and agenda of all public
184	184	hearings and executive sessions not less than 5 days prior to the time of such meetings. If public
185	185	testimony is being solicited, agendas shall include an electronic mail address and physical mail
186	186	address for the submission of testimony and shall inform the public that testimony received may
187	187	be made publicly available. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall notify the clerk, who shall inform all 7
188	188	members electronically and publish such information on the official website of the General Court
189	189	whenever practicable.
190	190	Any such public testimony received by the committee that is readily capable of being reproduced
191	191	shall be made available to the public upon request; provided, however, that the committee may
192	192	redact such public testimony that includes sensitive personal information or information that may
193	193	jeopardize the health, wellness or safety of an individual. If expert testimony is being solicited
194	194	by the committee, the committee shall make reasonable efforts to promote the diversity of expert
195	195	witness panels.
196	196	Nothing contained in this rule shall prohibit a joint standing committee or special joint
197	197	committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives from taking appropriate action
198	198	including, but not limited to, the exclusion of a person from a committee meeting in order to
199	199	prevent the disruption of or interference with committee proceedings. All meetings of joint
200	200	standing committees, and special joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives,
201	201	shall be limited to no more than 50 bills to be discussed in a hearing, unless it can be determined
202	202	that all of the bills being considered are of the same subject matter.
203	203	The 5 day requirement shall be suspended in an emergency only after all reasonable efforts have
204	204	been made to contact all committee members and upon a recorded vote of at least a majority of
205	205	the members of each branch appointed to the committee, but not less than two-thirds of the
206	206	members of each branch voting.
207	207	A meeting of a committee may be recorded by a person in attendance by means of a recorder or
208	208	any other means of audio/visual reproduction except when a meeting is held in executive session;
209	209	provided, that a person seeking to record a meeting of a committee notifies the Chairs of the
210	210	committee prior to commencing such recording; and provided further that during such recording
211	211	there is no interference with the conduct of the meeting.
212	212	The Chairs of each committee shall preserve decorum and order during each committee hearing.
213	213	Persons attending hearings shall be required to refrain from the use of cellular telephones,
214	214	beepers and pagers. The use of visual aids including, without limitation, posters, displays, or
215	215	charts shall be permitted only upon approval of the Chairs. Joint Committees may receive
216	216	testimony from public officials out of the regular order of participation; provided, however, that
217	217	if a committee follows such a practice public officials of Indigenous communities shall be treated
218	218	accordingly. [Adopted June 3, 1985. Amended June 12, 1995; Feb. 20, 2007; Mar. 14, 2013; Mar. 7, 2019.] 8
219	219	1E. The joint standing committee on Health Care Financing shall review all legislation relating
220	220	to health care to evaluate the appropriateness and fiscal effect of such legislation. A matter
221	221	within the jurisdiction of said committee may, if appropriate, initially be referred to another joint
222	222	standing committee sharing jurisdiction of the subject-matter. Any matter reported favorably by
223	223	such joint standing committee shall be referred to the joint committee on Health Care Financing;
224	224	provided, however, that notwithstanding any rule to the contrary, any such matter so reported
225	225	shall not be read a first time in the branch in which the report was received. The next favorable
226	226	report on any such matter, if made by a joint committee, may be made to either branch. Such
227	227	next favorable report shall be considered the first reading. The branch of origin for any such bill
228	228	so reported shall be the branch receiving such favorable report.
229	229	For all matters initially referred to the joint committee on Health Care Financing and not
230	230	previously referred to another joint committee, the joint committee on Health Care Financing
231	231	may make favorable reports to either branch, at the discretion of the committee, except that
232	232	reports on money bills shall be made to the House.
233	233	In compliance with section 38A of chapter 3 of the General Laws, the joint committee on Health
234	234	Care Financing when reporting on bills shall include a fiscal note prepared under section 3A of
235	235	chapter 29 of the General Laws, showing the estimated cost or the fiscal effect of the proposed
236	236	legislation, if, in the opinion of said committee, such cost or fiscal effect exceeds the sum of
237	237	$100,000; provided, however, that any matter reported by the committee on Health Care
238	238	Financing with a fiscal effect of less than $100,000 shall not be referred, under the rules, to the
239	239	committee on Ways and Means. [Adopted Jan. 26, 2005; Amended May 19, 2005; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 12, 2009.]
240	240	1F. The joint committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall review all
241	241	legislation providing for the giving, loaning or pledging of the credit of the Commonwealth (see
242	242	Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution, as amended by Article LXXXIV). Said
243	243	committee shall be responsible for evaluating such legislation and determining the
244	244	appropriateness of enacting legislation containing increased bond authorizations for the
245	245	Commonwealth. The committee shall periodically review and hold open public hearings,
246	246	accepting oral and written testimony on the status of the bonds and notes of the Commonwealth,
247	247	including (1) general obligation debt; (2) dedicated income tax debt; and (3) special obligation
248	248	debt. The committee shall also, in its continuing study of the state’s bonding practices, review
249	249	the Commonwealth’s liabilities relative to (a) state-supported debt; (b) state-guaranteed debt; and
250	250	(c) indirect obligations. 9
251	251	Any bill providing for borrowing for new projects, and requiring the Commonwealth to issue
252	252	bonds for such purpose, shall, prior to its reference to the committee on Ways and Means, be
253	253	referred to the committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets for report on its
254	254	relationship to the finances of the Commonwealth. A measure may initially be referred to
255	255	another joint committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter before being referred to the
256	256	committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets; provided, however, that
257	257	notwithstanding any rule to the contrary, any such matter so reported shall not be read a first time
258	258	in the branch in which the report was received. The next favorable report on any such matter by
259	259	the committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall be considered the first
260	260	reading. The branch of origin for any such bill so reported shall be the branch receiving such
261	261	favorable report.
262	262	The provisions of Joint Rule 4 shall apply to all matters referred to the joint committee on
263	263	Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, except that where constitutionally prohibited.
264	264	The joint committee shall consult with the various agencies of the Executive branch and the
265	265	office of the Treasurer and Receiver-General relative to project expenditures, availability of
266	266	funds, the sale of new bonds and the resultant debt obligations, federal reimbursements and other
267	267	related funding and bonding issues.
268	268	The joint committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall be authorized to
269	269	conduct hearings relative to the statutory authority of the Executive branch and the Treasurer and
270	270	Receiver-General in the issuance and sale of bonds and notes and the expenditure of capital
271	271	funds by the various agencies and authorities of the Commonwealth. The committee shall
272	272	determine whether such laws, administrative regulations and programs are being implemented in
273	273	accordance with the intent of the General Court.
274	274	The committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall be authorized to report
275	275	to the General Court from time to time on the results of its hearings and to file drafts of
276	276	legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect.
277	277	Messages from the Governor setting terms of bonds and notes, or for the de-authorization or
278	278	authorization of bonds and notes shall be referred to the committee on Bonding, Capital
279	279	Expenditures and State Assets. [Adopted Mar. 25, 2021 -- previously omitted ]
280	280	1G. The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader
281	281	of the Senate, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Senate and House chairs and 10
282	282	the Senate and House ranking minority members of the joint committee on Public Safety and
283	283	Homeland Security may receive security clearance from federal and state homeland security
284	284	officials in order to be granted access to confidential homeland security briefings, information
285	285	and materials. The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
286	286	Senate and House committee chairs and the Senate and House ranking minority members may
287	287	designate 1 or more members of their staff who may receive such security clearance.
288	288	Any person who receives security clearance under this rule shall sign all confidentiality
289	289	agreements required by homeland security officials. The breach of any such confidentiality
290	290	agreement shall constitute a violation of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of
291	291	Representatives. Any alleged violation of a confidentiality agreement shall be referred for
292	292	investigation to the Senate committee on Ethics and Rules or the House committee on Ethics,
293	293	respectively, and, if appropriate, to law enforcement authorities for potential criminal
294	294	prosecution. [Adopted Jan. 26, 2005; Amended Feb. 12, 2009; Mar. 7, 2019.]
295	295	2. No member of either branch shall act as counsel for any party before any committee of the
296	296	Legislature.
297	297	2A. No member of either branch shall purchase, directly or indirectly, the stock or other
298	298	securities of any corporation or association knowing that there is pending before the General
299	299	Court any measure specially granting to such corporation or association any immunity,
300	300	exemption, privilege or benefit or any measure providing for the creation of, or directly affecting
301	301	any, contractual relations between such corporation or association and the Commonwealth. This
302	302	rule shall not apply to the purchase of securities issued by the Commonwealth or any political
303	303	subdivision of the Commonwealth. [See G.L. chapter 268, section 10.] [Adopted Jan. 16, 1922.]
304	304	3. When the General Court is in session, authorization for any committee of the Senate or House
305	305	of Representatives to travel during the session of the General Court shall be approved by a vote
306	306	of two-thirds of the members of its branch present and voting. When the General Court is in
307	307	session, authorization for any committee of the Senate or House of Representatives to sit and
308	308	travel during the recess of the General Court shall be approved by a vote of two-thirds of the
309	309	members of each branch present and voting. During the recess of the General Court, the
310	310	President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may, by written consent,
311	311	allow standing committees of their respective branches or appoint special committees to sit,
312	312	travel and incur expenses not exceeding sums authorized in writing by said presiding officers and 11
313	313	appropriated for such purposes. When the General Court is in session, authorization for any joint
314	314	committee to travel during the session, or to sit or travel during the recess, of the General Court
315	315	shall be approved by a vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch present and voting.
316	316	During the recess of the General Court, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
317	317	of Representatives, acting jointly, may, by written consent, allow joint committees or appoint
318	318	joint special committees to sit, travel and incur expenses not exceeding sums authorized in
319	319	writing by said presiding officers and appropriated for such purposes. The Clerks of the Senate
320	320	and House of Representatives shall be notified of any appointments made and authorizations
321	321	granted during the recess for said committees to sit, travel and incur expenses during the recess
322	322	and the Clerks shall enter such information in the journals for the next year, as soon as may be
323	323	practicable. Committees authorized by the presiding officers to sit during the recess in the odd
324	324	numbered year shall report not later than the fourth Wednesday of January during the following
325	325	year and committees authorized by the presiding officers to sit during the recess in the even
326	326	numbered year shall report not later than the fourth Wednesday of December during the same
327	327	year.
328	328	No committee shall travel except at the expense of the Commonwealth. In any case when a
329	329	committee is authorized to travel, the Sergeant-at-Arms shall provide transportation only for
330	330	members of the committee and the officer accompanying them, and the reasonable traveling
331	331	expenses of such members and officers only shall be charged to or paid by the Commonwealth.
332	332	Neither the Sergeant-at-Arms nor the officer detailed by the Sergeant-at-Arms shall permit any
333	333	person to accompany such committee while in the discharge of its official duties unless invited
334	334	by vote of the committee.
335	335	All bills for the traveling expenses of committees shall be submitted by the Sergeant-at-Arms to
336	336	the committee by whom they have been incurred and shall be approved by a majority of said
337	337	committee before being presented to the Comptroller for payment. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890; Amended Feb.
338	338	2, 1891 ; Jan. 20, 1904 ; April 17, 1925 ; March 2, 1943 ; July 27, 1950 ; Oct. 18, 1971 ; March 28, 1972 ; Jan. 15, 1973; Feb. 12,
339	339	2009.]
340	340	3A. A joint standing committee may, upon the written and signed report of two-thirds of the
341	341	members of the Senate and two-thirds of the members of the House appointed to said committee,
342	342	report a bill or other form of legislation without said legislation being founded upon petition;
343	343	provided, however, that matters so reported shall be germane to the subject matters regularly
344	344	referred to the committee. The committee shall hold a public hearing on such bill or other form 12
345	345	of legislation before it is reported. A bill or other form of legislation so reported shall be placed
346	346	in the Orders of the Day by the Clerk of the respective branch to which it is reported or referred
347	347	to a standing committee of said branch under the rules. All reports of committees not founded
348	348	upon petition shall bear the designation ‘committee bill’, ‘resolve’, ‘order’ or ‘resolution’, as the
349	349	case may be, in the Orders of the Day. Committees to which messages from the Governor,
350	350	reports of state officers, boards, committees, commissions and others authorized to report to the
351	351	General Court, may report by bill or otherwise such legislation as may be germane to the subject
352	352	matter referred to them. [Adopted June 3, 1985.]
353	353	4. Favorable reports, and adverse reports on subjects of legislation other than petitions, by joint
354	354	committees shall be made to the branch in which the matter was originally introduced, unless the
355	355	committee decides otherwise under its own rules and, except that reports on money bills shall be
356	356	made to the House and if adverse reports on matters other than petitions which are accompanied
357	357	by money bills are accepted by the House, this shall constitute final rejection. Adverse reports by
358	358	joint committees on petitions shall be made to the branch in which the petition was originally
359	359	introduced, except that such adverse reports on petitions accompanied by proposed money bills
360	360	shall be made to the House; and, if accepted by the branch in which they are made, shall be
361	361	considered as a final rejection. When a report is made from any committee to either branch, and
362	362	the subject-matter of the report is subsequently referred to a joint committee, such committee,
363	363	except for the committee on Health Care Financing, shall report its action to the branch in which
364	364	the reference originated. [See also Joint Rule 5.]
365	365	A vote of a joint standing committee to give legislation a favorable or adverse report shall be
366	366	conducted by a roll call upon request of 2 committee members present at the committee meeting.
367	367	Such votes shall be recorded on appropriate forms that show all votes for and against the
368	368	particular committee action. The records of all such roll calls shall be kept in the offices of the
369	369	committee for the duration of the General Court during which said vote was recorded, and shall
370	370	be available for public inspection upon reasonable notice and during regular office hours and
371	371	shall be posted on the website of the General Court.
372	372	All committee members shall have an opportunity to sign a form accompanying a report of the
373	373	committee signifying approval of, dissent or abstention from a report of a joint standing
374	374	committee before the report is final or filed. No signature shall be valid unless the report to
375	375	which the signature is affixed includes the substantially complete text of the legislation being 13
376	376	reported. [Amended Jan. 3, 1952; April 8, 1959; June 7, 1965; Jan. 7, 1971; March 11, 1974; June 3, 1985; Feb. 20, 2007;
377	377	Feb. 15, 2017.]
378	378	4A. In compliance with section 38A of chapter 3 of the General Laws, all joint committees of the
379	379	General Court when reporting on bills referred to them shall include a fiscal note prepared under
380	380	section 3A of chapter 29 of the General Laws, showing the estimated cost or the fiscal effect of
381	381	the proposed legislation, if, in the opinion of said committee, such cost exceeds $100,000. Such
382	382	fiscal note shall be filed electronically in the office of the clerk to which the report is being
383	383	made, and shall be promptly made available on the official website of the General Court. [Adopted
384	384	Jan. 15, 1973.]
385	385	5. Matters reported adversely by joint committees and the committees on Rules of the two
386	386	branches, acting concurrently, may be recommitted to the same committees at the pleasure of the
387	387	branch acting on the report, and bills or resolves may be recommitted in either branch. If a bill or
388	388	resolve is laid aside in either branch for the reason that it is declared to be broader in its scope
389	389	than the subject-matter upon which it is based, the subject-matter shall be recommitted to the
390	390	committee. A concurrent vote shall, however, be necessary for re-committal, with instructions.
391	391	After recommitment, report shall, in all cases, be made to the branch originating the
392	392	recommitment. [Amended Feb. 2, 1891; April 11, 1935; Jan. 6, 1947; May 7, 19 53; March 26, 1963; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7,
393	393	1971; March 11, 1974.]
394	394	6. Bills and resolves reported by joint committees shall be presented with spaces between the
395	395	several sections and shall be made available to all members electronically and to the public via
396	396	the Internet. [Amended Jan. 28, 1889; Jan. 9, 1941; Feb. 8, 1949; Feb. 12, 2009.]
397	397	Joint Petitions.
398	398	6A. A member of the Senate and a member of the House of Representatives may file a joint
399	399	petition in either branch and shall endorse their name on the petition and a brief statement of the
400	400	nature and object of the instrument and the reading of the instrument shall be dispensed with,
401	401	unless specially ordered. The petition shall be filed in the office of the clerk of either the Senate
402	402	or House of Representatives, depending on whether it is a ‘Joint Senate/House Petition’ or a
403	403	‘Joint House/Senate Petition’ but the Journal records in the Senate and House of Representatives
404	404	shall carry both members’ names as presenters of the petition. [Adopted Jan. 15, 1973.]
405	405	7. Whenever, upon any application for an act of incorporation or other legislation, the purpose
406	406	for which such legislation is sought can be secured without detriment to the public interests by a 14
407	407	general law or under existing laws, the committee to which the matter is referred shall report
408	408	such general law, or ‘ought not to pass’. [Amended Feb. 2, 1891; Feb. 7, 18 93; Jan. 7, 1971.]
409	409	7A. A petition for legislation to authorize a county to reinstate in its service a person formerly
410	410	employed by it, or to retire or pension or grant an annuity to any person, or to increase any
411	411	retirement allowance, pension or annuity, or to pay any sum of money in the nature of a pension
412	412	or retirement allowance, or to pay any salary which would have accrued to a deceased official or
413	413	employee but for their death, or to pay any claim for damages or otherwise, or to alter the
414	414	benefits or change the restrictions of any county retirement or pension law, shall, subsequently to
415	415	the procedure required by Senate Rule No. 20 and by House Rule No. 24, be reported adversely,
416	416	unless, when filed it be the petition of, or be approved by, a majority of the county
417	417	commissioners. [Adopted April 29, 1915. Amended Jan. 13, Feb. 19 and Dec. 22, 1920; May 24, 1926; April 11, 1935;
418	418	April 22, 1937; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 15, 1945; Feb. 20, 1951; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7, 1971; Jan. 15, 1973; Mar. 7, 2019.]
419	419	7B. A petition, the operation of which is restricted to a particular city or town (and which does
420	420	not affect the powers, duties, etc., of state departments, boards, commissions, etc., or which does
421	421	not affect generally the laws of the Commonwealth) and which is not filed in conformity with
422	422	Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution shall, subsequent to the
423	423	procedure required by Senate Rule 20 and House Rule 24, be reported adversely, unless it be on
424	424	petition filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council, or other
425	425	legislative body, of a city, or the town meeting of a town. A joint committee to which is
426	426	inadvertently referred a petition or other subject of legislation the operation of which is restricted
427	427	to a particular city or town and which is not in conformity with Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of
428	428	the Amendments to the Constitution shall report a general law which applies alike to all cities, or
429	429	to all towns, or to all cities and towns, or to a class of not fewer than 2; or shall report ‘ought not
430	430	to pass’, with the further endorsement that it ‘would be unconstitutional to enact such special
431	431	law’.
432	432	Any petition that subsequently conforms to Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to
433	433	the Constitution after filing, which have followed the procedures set forth in Senate Rule 20 or
434	434	House Rule 24, shall be forthwith reported from the committee on Rules and be referred by the
435	435	Clerk to an appropriate committee. [Adopted Jan. 13, 1920. Amended Feb. 19 and Dec. 22, 1920; May 24, 1926;
436	436	April 11, 1935; April 22, 1937; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 9, 1941; Jan. 15, 1945; Feb. 20, 1951; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7 and Mar. 22, 1971
437	437	; Jan. 15, 1973; March 14, 2013.] 15
438	438	7C. The approval vote required to file a petition, the operation of which is restricted to a
439	439	particular city or town under Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the
440	440	Constitution of the Commonwealth, shall not expire prior to the final day of the next immediate
441	441	biennial session following the certification of the approval vote by the city or town and in such
442	442	circumstances no additional vote shall be required to file a petition unless a vote to rescind such
443	443	approval is passed by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council or other
444	444	legislative body of a city, or the select board and the town meeting or other legislative body of
445	445	the town. [Adopted, Mar. 14, 2013; Amended Feb. 15, 2017.]
446	446	7D. The approval of a substantive amendment to a petition restricted to a single city or town and
447	447	requiring a vote of the city of town before enactment of the petition shall be provided to the
448	448	General Court before the enactment of the petition and shall be reviewed by House Counsel and
449	449	Senate Counsel prior to the enactment of the petition in either branch. [Adopted , Feb. 15, 2017.]
450	450	Notice to Parties Interested.
451	451	8. No legislation affecting the rights of individuals or the rights of a private or municipal
452	452	corporation, otherwise than as it affects generally the people of the Commonwealth or the people
453	453	of the city or town to which it specifically applies, shall be proposed or introduced except by a
454	454	petition, nor shall any bill or resolve embodying such legislation be reported by a committee
455	455	except upon a petition duly referred, nor shall such a bill or resolve be reported by a committee,
456	456	whether on an original reference or on a re-committal with instructions to hear the parties, until it
457	457	is made to appear to the satisfaction of the committee that proper notice of the proposed
458	458	legislation has been given by public advertisement or otherwise to all parties interested, without
459	459	expense to the Commonwealth, or until evidence satisfactory to the committee is produced that
460	460	all parties interested have in writing waived notice. A committee reporting adversely due to lack
461	461	proper notice or of a waiver of proper notice shall so state in its report and no bill or resolve shall
462	462	be in order as a substitute for, or amendment of, such report. Objection to the violation of this
463	463	rule may be taken at any stage prior to that of the third reading. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890. Amended Dec. 22,
464	464	1920 ; Jan. 12, 1939 ; Jan. 15, 1945; Jan. 7, 1971.]
465	465	9. A petition for the incorporation of a city or town, for the annexation of 1 municipality to
466	466	another, for the consolidation of 2 or more municipalities or for the division of an existing
467	467	municipality, or for the incorporation or revival of a railroad, street railway, elevated railroad,
468	468	canal, telephone, telegraph, water, gas, electric light, power or other public service corporation,
469	469	for the amendment, alteration or extension of the charter or corporate powers or privileges, or for 16
470	470	the change of name, of any such company, whether specially incorporated or organized under the
471	471	General Laws, or for authority to take water for a water supply, or relative to building structures
472	472	in or over navigable or tide waters, shall be placed on file, and not referred to a committee ,
473	473	unless the petitioner has given the notice and followed the procedure required by section 5 of
474	474	chapter 3 of the General Laws. But if, no objection being raised, any such petition is referred to a
475	475	committee without such required notice or procedure, the committee shall forthwith report
476	476	adversely, setting forth as the reason for such report failure to comply with the law, unless
477	477	evidence satisfactory to the committee is produced that all parties interested have in writing
478	478	waived notice. In case a bill or resolve is reported upon such a petition, after proof of such
479	479	waiver of notice, this fact shall be set forth in the report of the committee. When an adverse
480	480	report is made by a committee, on account of failure to give the required notice, no bill or resolve
481	481	shall be substituted for such report, nor shall such report be recommitted or referred to another
482	482	committee.
483	483	A petition for the establishment or revival, or for the amendment, alteration or extension of the
484	484	charter or corporate powers or privileges, or for the change of name, of any corporation, except a
485	485	petition subject to the preceding paragraph, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the branch in
486	486	which it is filed to the office of the State Secretary. If such a petition is returned by said
487	487	Secretary with a statement that the petitioner has failed to comply with the requirements of
488	488	section 7 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, said petition shall be placed on file, and shall not be
489	489	referred to a committee.
490	490	Any petition placed on file for want of proper notice or procedure under this rule shall not affect
491	491	action upon any other measure involving the same subject matter. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890. Amended Feb. 2,
492	492	1891; Feb. 3, 1898; Jan. 16, 1903; Feb. 19 and Dec. 22, 1920; May 24, 1926; Feb. 27, 1929; April 11, 1935; Jan. 6, 1938; Jan. 12,
493	493	1939; Jan. 9, 1941; Jan. 15, 1945; April 8, 1959; Jan. 7, 1963; Jan. 7, 1971 ; Jan. 15, 1973 , June 12, 1995; Feb. 12, 2009; Mar. 7,
494	494	2019.]
495	495	Limit of Time allowed for Reports of Committees.
496	496	10. All joint committees and the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently,
497	497	shall make final report not later than the first Wednesday in February of the second annual
498	498	session of the General Court on all matters referred to them before the first day of the second
499	499	annual session and within 30 days on all matters referred to them on and after the first day of the
500	500	second annual session of the General Court except that the committee on Health Care Financing
501	501	shall make final report not later than the last Wednesday of March of the second annual session 17
502	502	on all matters referred to them on or before the fourth Wednesday of February and within 30
503	503	days on all matters referred to it after the fourth Wednesday in February of the second annual
504	504	session of the General Court. When the time within which said committees are required to report
505	505	has expired, all matters upon which no report has then been made shall forthwith be reported by
506	506	the chair of the committee on the part of the branch in which they were respectively introduced,
507	507	with an adverse recommendation under this rule. If the chair fails to make such report by the end
508	508	of the legislative day next following the expiration date, all matters remaining unreported shall
509	509	be placed in the Orders of the Day by the Clerk of the branch in which the matter was originally
510	510	filed with an adverse report under this rule. Matters which have been referred under Joint Rule
511	511	29, upon which the chairs of the committees on Rules fail to make a report, shall be placed by
512	512	the respective Clerks in the Orders of the Day of the branch in which the subject matter was
513	513	referred to said committees. Committees to whom are referred subjects of legislation may
514	514	combine petitions of similar subject matter, or other forms of legislation of similar subject
515	515	matter, into 1 adverse report, and the report on the petition shall be that said petitions or other
516	516	forms of legislation ‘ought NOT to pass,’ and if the report is accepted, all the matters contained
517	517	in the report shall be disposed of. However, petitions upon which an adverse report is accepted in
518	518	only 1 branch may not be combined with other subjects of legislation upon which adverse reports
519	519	must be accepted, in concurrence. This rule shall not apply to petitions referred to the
520	520	committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, under the second paragraph of
521	521	Joint Rule 12. This rule shall not be rescinded, amended or suspended, except by a concurrent
522	522	vote of four-fifths of the members of each branch present and voting thereon. Notwithstanding
523	523	Joint Rule 30, this rule shall not be rescinded, amended or suspended more than 3 times except
524	524	by unanimous consent. [Amended Feb. 2, 1891; Jan. 25, 1894; Jan. 16, 1903; Jan. 20, 1904; Dec. 22, 1920; April 17,
525	525	1925; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 15, 1945; Jan. 6, 1947; May 7, 1953; Jan. 27, 1955; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7, 1971; Feb. 4, 1974, June 12,
526	526	1995; July 17, 2003; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 12, 2009; Feb. 15, 2017; Mar. 7, 2019.]
527	527	10A. The form for all subjects of legislation receiving a favorable report shall be ‘ought to pass.’
528	528	The form for all subjects of legislation receiving an adverse report shall be ‘ought NOT to pass.’
529	529	A committee to whom is referred any other matter may report recommending that the same be
530	530	placed on file. [Adopted Jan. 7, 1971.]
531	531	Committees of Conference.
532	532	11. Committees of conference shall consist of 3 members on the part of each branch, one
533	533	member of each branch being a member of the minority party representing its vote; and their 18
534	534	report, if agreed to by a majority of each committee, shall be made to the branch asking for the
535	535	conference, and may be either accepted or rejected, but no other action shall be had, except
536	536	through a new committee of conference.
537	537	Committees of conference to whom are referred matters of difference in respect to bills or
538	538	resolves, shall, after filing their reports, but before consideration by either branch, have the same
539	539	approved or discharged by each committee on Bills in the Third Reading. [Amended April 22, 1937;
540	540	Feb. 12, 2009; Feb. 3, 2011; Feb. 15, 2017; Mar. 7, 2019.]
541	541	11A. Committees of conference to whom are referred matters of difference in respect to
542	542	appropriation bills, including capital outlay programs, shall, after filing their reports but before
543	543	consideration by either branch have the same approved or discharged by each committee on Bills
544	544	in the Third Reading.
545	545	Upon the appointment of a committee of conference to whom matters of difference in respect to
546	546	any appropriation bill or in respect to any bill providing for capital outlay programs and projects
547	547	are referred, the clerk of the branch requesting said committee of conference shall make
548	548	available to members of the General Court a list of the matters in disagreement identified by item
549	549	number and item purpose and showing the amount made available by each branch of the General
550	550	Court, and any other matters in disagreement and the position of each of the said branches.
551	551	The report of said committee of conference shall consist of the matters of difference so referred
552	552	and so identified, showing the amounts appropriated by each of the said branches and other
553	553	matters in disagreement and the position of each branch with respect to those matters, and shall
554	554	state said committee's recommendations with respect to the matters so referred. Matters on which
555	555	there exists no disagreement between the branches shall not be disturbed by the committee on
556	556	conference.
557	557	The committees on ways and means of each branch of the General Court shall assist such
558	558	committee of conference in any and all matters necessary to the preparation and completion of its
559	559	report. [Adopted July 30, 1974; Amended Oct. 3, 1983; Feb. 3, 2011.]
560	560	11B. No report from a committee of conference shall be considered or acted upon by either
561	561	branch until the calendar day following the day on which said report shall have been available to
562	562	the public and to the members of the General Court. The committee shall file its report no later
563	563	than 8 p.m. on the day preceding its consideration and the General Court shall not consider said
564	564	report before 1 p.m. on the following day, except that a report from such committee of 19
565	565	conference that it is unable to agree may be considered and acted upon at the time that such
566	566	report is filed. [Adopted Oct. 3, 1983. Amended July 17, 2003; July 21 and September 20, 2005; Feb. 3, 2011.]
567	567	11C. Reports, other than those filed under Rule 11A, from a committee of conference shall,
568	568	whenever practicable, be accompanied by a summary which shall be filed with the clerk. [Adopted
569	569	Feb. 12, 2009; Feb. 3, 2011.]
570	570	11D. Upon the filing of a report by a committee of conference, pursuant to Joint Rule 11B, the
571	571	clerk of the branch in which the committee of conference filed its report shall make the report
572	572	and the summary of the report available to all members electronically and to the public on the
573	573	official website of the General Court by 9 p.m. on the day preceding its consideration. [Adopted Feb.
574	574	12, 2009; Feb. 3, 2011.]
575	575	11E. Subsequent to the filing of a report of a committee of conference, an addendum may be
576	576	submitted to the clerk of the branch in which the report had been filed. The addendum shall
577	577	indicate that it contains only matters inadvertently omitted from or included in the report, and
578	578	shall be signed by all of members of the House and Senate who had signed the conference
579	579	committee report. The addendum shall be approved by both the Counsel to the House and the
580	580	Counsel to the Senate. The addendum, having been approved by both the Counsel to the House
581	581	and the Counsel to the Senate, shall be posted to the official website of the General Court
582	582	immediately upon receipt by the clerk of the branch to which it was submitted. [Adopted Mar. 14,
583	583	2013.]
584	584	Limit of Time allowed for New Business.
585	585	12. Resolutions intended for adoption by both branches of the General Court, petitions, and all
586	586	other subjects of legislation, shall be deposited with the Clerk of either branch prior to 5 p.m. on
587	587	the third Friday in January of the first annual session of the General Court.
588	588	All such matters except messages from the Governor, reports required or authorized to be made
589	589	to the General Court and petitions filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor
590	590	and city council, or other legislative body of a city, or the town meeting of a town, for the
591	591	enactment of a special law under Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the
592	592	Constitution and which do not affect the powers, duties, etc., of state departments, boards,
593	593	commissions, etc., or which do not affect generally the laws of the Commonwealth deposited
594	594	with the respective clerks subsequent to 5 p.m. on the third Friday of January of the first annual
595	595	session of the General Court shall be referred by the Clerks to the committees on the Rules of the
596	596	two branches, acting concurrently. No such matter shall be admitted for consideration except on 20
597	597	report of the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, and then upon
598	598	approval of two-thirds of the members of each branch voting thereon. Matters upon which
599	599	suspension of Joint Rule 12 has been negatived shall be placed on file.
600	600	At any special session called under Rule 26A, however, matters relating to the facts constituting
601	601	the necessity for convening such session shall, if otherwise admissible, be admitted as though
602	602	filed seasonably under the first sentence of this rule. Any recommendations from the Governor
603	603	shall be similarly considered. This rule shall not be rescinded, amended or suspended, except by
604	604	a concurrent vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch present and voting thereon.
605	605	[Amended Feb. 7, 18 90; Feb. 2, 18 91; Feb. 7, 18 93; Jan. 10, 18 98; Jan. 9, 18 99; Feb. 15, 19 01; May 4, 19 04; Jan. 31, 19 10;
606	606	Feb. 2, 19 17; Dec. 22, 19 20; March 30, 19 21; Jan. 30, 19 23; Feb. 15, 19 33; Jan. 12 and Aug. 7, 19 39; Jan. 15, 19 45; Jan. 6,
607	607	19 47; May 27, 19 48; Jan. 30, 19 67; March 26, 19 69; Jan. 7, 1971 ; Jan. 15 and Oct. 2, 1973 ; Oct 3, 1983 , June 12, 1995 ; Jan.
608	608	26, 2005; July 17, 2003; Jan. 26, 2005; July 21, 2005; Sept. 20, 2005; Feb. 12, 2009.]
609	609	12A. All formal business of the first annual session of the General Court shall be concluded not
610	610	later than the third Wednesday in November of that calendar year and all formal business of the
611	611	second annual session shall be concluded not later than the last day of July of that calendar year.
612	612	In order to assist the Senate and House in its analysis and appraisal of laws enacted by the
613	613	General Court, each joint standing committee, upon conclusion of the formal business of the
614	614	annual sessions, shall, as authorized by Joint Rule 1, initiate oversight hearings to evaluate the
615	615	effectiveness, application and administration of the subject matter of laws within the jurisdiction
616	616	of that committee. [Adopted June 12, 1995.]
617	617	Unfinished Business of the Session.
618	618	12B. Any matter pending before the General Court at the end of the first annual session and any
619	619	special session held in the same year shall carry over into the second annual session of the same
620	620	General Court in the same legislative status as it was at the conclusion of the first annual session
621	621	or any special session held during that year; provided, however, that any measure making or
622	622	supplementing an appropriation for a fiscal year submitted to or returned to the General Court by
623	623	the Governor, under Article LXIII of the Amendments to the Constitution, in the first annual
624	624	session or in a special session held during that year shall cease to exist upon the termination of
625	625	the first annual session. [Adopted June 12, 1995.]
626	626	Papers to be deposited with the Clerks.
627	627	13. Information intended for presentation to the General Court by any Representative or Senator
628	628	shall be deposited with the Clerk of the branch to which the member belongs; and all such 21
629	629	information, unless they be subject to other rules or of the rules of the Senate or House, shall be
630	630	referred by the Clerk, with the approval of the President or Speaker, to appropriate committees,
631	631	subject to such changes as the Senate or House may make. The reading of information so
632	632	referred may be dispensed with, but they shall, except as provided in these rules, be entered in
633	633	the Journal of the same on the next legislative day after such reference.
634	634	A member may include a brief statement of intent with all papers intended for presentation to the
635	635	General Court. Upon a favorable report by a joint standing committee, a committee may include
636	636	a brief written statement of intent. Said statement shall be dated and shall include the scope of
637	637	the matter presented for consideration; provided, however, this rule shall not be construed to
638	638	require the presentation of such statement of intent under this rule. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890. Amended Feb.
639	639	2, 1891; Feb. 7, 1893; Jan. 25, 1894; Dec. 22, 1920; May 25, 1923; Feb. 15, 1933; Jan. 12, 1971; June 3, 1985; Feb. 12, 2009.]
640	640	Dockets of Legislative Counsel and Agents.
641	641	14. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, may prescribe the manner
642	642	and form of keeping the dockets of legislative agents which are required by law. [Adopted Feb. 2,
643	643	1891; Amended Feb. 19, 1920.]
644	644	Duties of the Clerk.
645	645	15. If any part of the report of a committee over the signature of the chair or members of the
646	646	committee is amended in either branch, the Clerk of that branch shall endorse upon the report
647	647	such amendment. [Amended Mar. 7, 2019.]
648	648	16. All papers, while on their passage between the 2 branches, may be under the signature of the
649	649	respective Clerks, except as to the adopting of emergency preambles and the final passage of
650	650	bills and resolves. Messages may be sent by such persons as each branch may direct. [Amended Feb.
651	651	21, 1919.]
652	652	17. After bills and resolves have passed both branches to be engrossed, they shall be in the
653	653	charge of the Clerks of the 2 branches, who shall prepare the same for final passage in the
654	654	manner prescribed by law; and when so prepared the same shall be delivered to the Clerk of the
655	655	House of Representatives; and when the bills have been passed to be enacted or the resolves have
656	656	been passed in the House, they shall, in like manner, be delivered to the Senate Clerk and
657	657	Parliamentarian. If a bill or resolve contains an emergency preamble, it shall be delivered in like
658	658	manner, to the Senate after the preamble has been adopted by the House of Representatives and
659	659	before the bill or resolve is put upon its final passage in that branch. If the Senate concurs in 22
660	660	adopting the preamble, the bill or resolve shall be returned to the House to be there first put upon
661	661	its final passage, under Joint Rule No. 22. [Amended Feb. 24, 1914; Feb. 21, 1919; Jan. 7, 1971.]
662	662	18. [Omitted in 1971.]
663	663	19. The Clerk of the branch in which a bill or resolve originated shall make an endorsement on
664	664	the envelope of the engrossed copy of the bill, certifying in which branch the bill originated,
665	665	which endorsement shall be entered on the journals by the Clerks respectively. [Amended Jan. 28,
666	666	1889; Feb. 24, 1914.]
667	667	20. Bills, resolves and other papers requiring the approval of the Governor shall be laid before
668	668	the Governor for the Governor’s approbation by the Senate Clerk and Parliamentarian, who shall
669	669	enter upon the journal of the Senate the day and date on which the same were so laid before the
670	670	Governor. [Amended Jan. 28, 1889; Jan. 7, 1971.]
671	671	Presentation and Distribution of Documents.
672	672	21. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, may establish regulations
673	673	for the distribution of bills, reports or other documents. Bills, reports or other documents shall be
674	674	made available to members electronically and, except for petitions or other documents not
675	675	assigned bill numbers, published on the Internet. The committees on Rules of the two branches,
676	676	acting concurrently, may make such changes pertaining to the availability of bills, reports or
677	677	other documents as they deem necessary for expediting the work of the legislature.
678	678	The Clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate shall be responsible for publishing
679	679	the journals of their respective chamber, the book Public Officers of Massachusetts, the
680	680	committee book and any other publications per order of the committees on Rules. [Amended Jan. 8,
681	681	1886 ; Jan. 28, 1889 ; Jan. 27, 1911 ; Feb. 19, 1920 ; Jan. 6, 1947 ; Apr. 5, 19 67 ; Jan. 7, 1971; Feb. 12, 2009; Mar. 14, 2013.]
682	682	Emergency Measures.
683	683	22. The vote on the preamble of an emergency law, which under the requirements of Article
684	684	XLVIII, as amended by Article LXVII of the Amendments of the Constitution shall, upon
685	685	request of 2 members of the Senate or of 5 members of the House of Representatives, be taken
686	686	by call of the yeas and nays, shall be had after the proposed law has been prepared for final
687	687	passage; and neither branch shall vote on the enactment of a bill or on the passage of a resolve
688	688	containing an emergency preamble until it has been determined whether the preamble shall
689	689	remain or be eliminated. If the bill contains an emergency preamble, a motion to amend the bill
690	690	may be received in either branch before the adoption of the emergency preamble, and the 23
691	691	amendment may contain a new emergency preamble. If the 2 branches concur in adopting the
692	692	preamble, the bill or resolve shall first be put upon its final passage in the House of
693	693	Representatives. If either branch fails to adopt the preamble, notice of its action shall be sent to
694	694	the other branch; and the bill or resolve, duly endorsed, shall again be prepared for final passage
695	695	without the preamble and without any provision that the bill or the resolve shall take effect
696	696	earlier than 90 days after it has become law. Procedure shall be otherwise under the joint rules
697	697	and the rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives. [Adopted Feb. 21, 1919. Amended Jan. 30,
698	698	1923; Jan. 7, 1971; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 12, 2009.]
699	699	22A. Bills and resolves passed to be engrossed by both branches and before being transmitted by
700	700	the clerks to the Legislative Engrossing Division shall be made available to the committees on
701	701	Bills in the Third Reading of the two branches, acting jointly, who shall examine them to ensure
702	702	accuracy in the text; that the legislation is correct as to form; that references to previous
703	703	amendments to any particular law are correct and to ensure proper consistency with the language
704	704	of existing statutes. These committees, with the approval of the majority and minority leadership
705	705	of both branches may make corrections which are not substantive in nature. The clerks of both
706	706	branches shall be immediately notified, in writing, of any such changes. Errors discovered by the
707	707	committees of a substantive nature shall be reported to the General Court, which in turn shall
708	708	take appropriate action under its rules. Upon completion of examination and possible correction
709	709	of any such bills and resolves, the bills and resolves shall be returned to the clerks, who in turn,
710	710	shall transmit them to the Legislative Engrossing Division to be prepared for final passage.
711	711	[Adopted Sept. 16, 1971.]
712	712	Legislative Amendments to the Constitution.
713	713	23. All proposals for amendments to the Constitution referred to a joint committee on the first
714	714	annual session of the General Court shall be reported by said committee not later than the last
715	715	Wednesday of April in said year, and proposals for amendments to the Constitution referred to a
716	716	joint committee subsequent to the last Wednesday in April of the first annual session shall be
717	717	reported by said committee not later than the last Wednesday of April in the second session of
718	718	the same General Court. The committee shall file its report, either recommending that the
719	719	proposal ought to pass or ought not to pass, with any official papers in its possession that relate
720	720	thereto, with the Clerk of the Senate. When the time within which said committees are required
721	721	to report has expired, all matters upon which no report has been made shall forthwith be placed
722	722	in the Journal of the respective branches, with an adverse report under this rule; and shall then be 24
723	723	placed on file in the office of the Clerk of the Senate. For further information of the members of
724	724	the Senate and House of Representatives, the respective Clerks shall also place all such matters
725	725	under a separate heading in the Calendar of each branch, as soon as is practicable. In each branch
726	726	the report shall be read and forthwith placed on file; and no further legislative action shall be
727	727	taken on the measure unless consideration in joint session is called for by vote of either branch,
728	728	under Section 2 of Part IV of Article XLVIII (as amended by Article LXXXI) of the
729	729	Amendments to the Constitution. A joint committee to which is referred any recommendation for
730	730	an amendment to the Constitution made by the Governor or contained in a report authorized to
731	731	be made to the General Court may report on the recommendation a proposal for a legislative
732	732	amendment, which shall be deemed to have been introduced by the member of the Senate who
733	733	reports for the committee; and the procedure as regards reporting, filing and subsequent action
734	734	shall be that provided for legislative amendments by this rule. Or the joint committee may report
735	735	ought not to pass for the reason that no legislation is necessary or that the recommendation ought
736	736	not to pass; and in such cases the usual procedure as regards similar reports by joint committees
737	737	shall be followed. If such an adverse report is amended in the Senate by substituting a proposal
738	738	for a legislative amendment, notice of the Senate's action shall be sent to the House and said
739	739	proposal, together with the official papers relating to the subject, shall be in the custody of the
740	740	Clerk of the Senate; and if said report is so amended in the House, the proposal, duly endorsed,
741	741	together with the other papers, shall be sent to the Senate for its information and shall be kept in
742	742	the custody of its Clerk. No further legislative action shall be taken in either branch on a proposal
743	743	so substituted unless consideration in joint session is called for under the Constitution. If either
744	744	branch calls for the consideration of any proposal in joint session, notice of its action shall be
745	745	sent to the other branch; and it shall then be the duty of the Senate and the House of
746	746	Representatives to arrange for the holding of the joint session not later than the second
747	747	Wednesday in May. Subject to the requirements of the Constitution, joint sessions or
748	748	continuances of joint sessions of the 2 branches to consider proposals for specific amendments to
749	749	the Constitution, and all rules or procedures, shall be determined only by concurrent votes of the
750	750	2 branches. The rules relative to joint conventions shall apply to the joint sessions of the 2
751	751	houses. [Adopted Feb. 21, 1919. Amended March 30, 1921; April 11, 1935; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 15, 1945; Nov. 9, 1951; Jan.
752	752	15, 1973; July 1, 1974; Feb. 12, 2009.] 25
753	753	Executive Reorganization Plans.
754	754	23A. Any reorganization plan, accompanied by a bill, submitted by the Governor under Article
755	755	LXXXVII of the Amendments to the Constitution shall be referred by the Clerks of the Senate
756	756	and the House, with the approval of the President and Speaker, to a joint standing committee
757	757	within 5 days of the presentation of the reorganization plan.
758	758	Said committee, to which is referred any such reorganization plan, shall, as required by said
759	759	Article, not later than 30 days after the presentation of such plan by the Governor, hold a public
760	760	hearing on the reorganization plan; and shall not later than 10 days after such hearing report that
761	761	it either approves or disapproves such plan.
762	762	When recommending action, the committee shall make, in each branch, a separate report of its
763	763	recommendations, and shall file said report together with the committee's recommendations and
764	764	the reasons for those recommendations, in writing. Majority and minority reports shall be signed
765	765	by the members of said committee. Any official papers in the possession of said committee that
766	766	relate thereto shall be filed with the Clerk of the Senate.
767	767	If the committee recommends favorable action, the report shall be that the reorganization plan
768	768	‘ought to be approved’. If the committee recommends adverse action, the report shall be that the
769	769	reorganization plan ‘ought NOT to be approved’. In each instance, the question shall be ‘Shall
770	770	this reorganization plan be approved?’
771	771	In each branch, the report shall be read and forthwith recorded in the Journal. On the legislative
772	772	day next following the Journal record, the report shall be placed in the Orders of the Day of the
773	773	Senate and the House.
774	774	When the time within which a joint committee is required to report on a reorganization plan has
775	775	expired, a matter upon which no report has been made shall forthwith be placed in the Orders of
776	776	the Day by the Clerks of each branch and the question shall be ‘Shall this reorganization plan be
777	777	approved?’.
778	778	When such plan is before either branch, no motion relating to said plan shall be allowed except
779	779	the motions to lay on the table (only in the Senate), to postpone to a time certain, or to commit or
780	780	recommit (at the pleasure of either branch). The motions to take a recess, to adjourn, the previous
781	781	question (if provided in the branch debating the issue), to close debate at a specified time, and
782	782	the motion to reconsider shall also be in order. 26
783	783	A motion to discharge any committee to which is referred or to which is recommitted a
784	784	reorganization plan shall not be in order prior to the expiration of 40 days after the Governor's
785	785	presentation of such plan. After the expiration of said 40 days, a motion to discharge a committee
786	786	shall be decided by a majority vote of the branch in which the motion is made.
787	787	Unless disapproved by a majority vote of the members of either of the 2 branches of the General
788	788	Court present and voting, the General Court not having prorogued within 60 days from the date
789	789	of presentation by the Governor, the plan shall be approved and shall take effect as provided by
790	790	Article LXXXVII of the Amendments to the Constitution.
791	791	Within 7 days of the expiration of the 60 days from the date of presentation of said plan by the
792	792	Governor, unless the question has already been decided, the Clerks of the Senate and House of
793	793	Representatives shall place the plan in the Orders of the Day; and no motions except the motions
794	794	to take a recess, to adjourn, and previous question, or to close debate at a specified time, shall be
795	795	in order.
796	796	No such reorganization plan presented to the General Court shall be subject to change or
797	797	amendment before expiration of such 60 days. [Adopted June 13, 1967; Amended March 27, 1969; June 12,
798	798	1995; Feb. 12, 2009.]
799	799	Joint Conventions.
800	800	24. The President of the Senate shall preside in Conventions of the 2 branches, and such
801	801	Conventions shall be held in the Representatives' Chamber; the Senate Clerk and Parliamentarian
802	802	shall be the Clerk of the Convention, and a record of the proceedings of the Convention shall be
803	803	entered at large on the journals of both branches. [Amended Feb. 20, 2007.]
804	804	25. When an agreement has been made by the 2 branches to go into Convention, such agreement
805	805	shall not be altered or annulled, except by concurrent vote, excepting that it shall be in order to
806	806	recess the convention from time to time upon a majority vote of said convention. [Amended Jan. 7,
807	807	1971.]
808	808	26. No business shall be entered on, in Convention, other than that which may be agreed on
809	809	before the Convention is formed.
810	810	Special Sessions.
811	811	26A. If written statements of 21 members of the Senate and 81 members of the House of
812	812	Representatives, that in their opinion it is necessary that the General Court assemble in special 27
813	813	session on a particular date and time specified in their statements during a recess of the General
814	814	Court, are filed with their respective Clerks, such Clerks shall forthwith notify all the members
815	815	of their respective branches to assemble at the State House in Boston, on said date at the time so
816	816	specified. When so assembled, the first business to be taken up shall be the question of the
817	817	necessity of so assembling, under Article I of Section I of Chapter I of Part the Second of the
818	818	Constitution of the Commonwealth. If 21 members of the Senate and 81 members of the House
819	819	of Representatives judge by vote taken by call of the yeas and nays that such assembling of the
820	820	General Court is necessary, specifying in such vote the facts constituting such necessity, the
821	821	General Court shall then complete its organization as a special session, proceed to the
822	822	consideration of the suspension of Joint Rule 12A which if suspended by the required two-thirds
823	823	of the members of both branches shall permit the General Court to proceed to the consideration
824	824	of matters properly before it. Nothing in this rule shall prevent the General Court from
825	825	assembling in any other constitutional manner when it judges necessary. [Adopted Aug. 7, 1939.
826	826	Amended March 2, 1943; March 27, 19 69; May 5, 1979; July 17, 2003; July 21 and September 20, 2005.]
827	827	Joint Elections.
828	828	27. In all elections by joint ballot a time shall be assigned for such election at least 1 day
829	829	previous to such election.
830	830	27A. In all cases of elections by ballot a majority of the votes cast shall be necessary for a
831	831	choice, and where there shall be no such a majority on the first ballot the ballots shall be repeated
832	832	until a majority is obtained; and in balloting, blanks shall be rejected and not taken into the count
833	833	in the enumeration of votes, excepting that when the number of blanks shall be more than the
834	834	number of votes received by the candidate having the highest number of votes, then the election
835	835	shall be declared void and the balloting shall be repeated as provided herein. [Adopted March 27,
836	836	1969.]
837	837	28. [Omitted March 28, 1972 .]
838	838	References to the Committees on Rules.
839	839	29. All motions and orders authorizing joint committees to travel or to employ stenographers, or
840	840	authorizing joint committees or special commissions composed as a whole or in part of members
841	841	of the General Court to make investigations or to file special reports, all propositions reported by
842	842	joint committees which authorize investigations or special reports by joint committees or by
843	843	special commissions composed as a whole or in part of members of the General Court, all 28
844	844	motions or orders proposed for joint adoption which provide that information be transmitted to
845	845	the General Court, and all matters referred under the second paragraph of Joint Rule 12, shall be
846	846	referred without debate to the committees on Rules of the two branches acting concurrently, who
847	847	shall report on the matter, under Joint Rule 10. All matters which have been referred under this
848	848	rule shall, in each instance, be reported back into the branch making such reference. [Adopted Jan.
849	849	10, 1898. Amended Jan. 20, 1904; Jan. 28, 1913; Feb. 19 and Dec. 22, 1920; April 11, 1935; April 22, 1937; Jan. 27, 1955; Jan.
850	850	30, 1967; Oct. 18, 1971.]
851	851	29A. Meetings of any special commission, special legislative commission, task force or other
852	852	group authorized or required by a statute, resolve, rule, or order to make or conduct an
853	853	investigation or study of any issue shall be conducted openly and transparently. Meetings of any
854	854	special commission, special legislative commission, task force or other group authorized or
855	855	required by a statute, resolve, rule, or order to make or conduct an investigation or study of any
856	856	issue and which are chaired by members of the general court shall be posted and conducted
857	857	pursuant to the rules of the senate and house of representatives and shall be conducted according
858	858	to the following requirements:
859	859	a.)Meetings shall be open to the public;
860	860	b.)Meetings shall be announced by appropriate notice at least 5 days in advance;
861	861	c.)Any documents used in a meeting be provided to the public upon request in a manner to
862	862	be determined by the chair;
863	863	d.)Public testimony shall be accepted in a manner to be determined by the chair;
864	864	e.)The chair shall maintain a summary of the subjects discussed at each meeting, a list of
865	865	documents and other exhibits used at the meetings, and shall maintain a record of proceedings,
866	866	including a record of all votes. For the purposes of this rule a video or audio recording made
867	867	available to the public shall be considered an adequate record of the proceedings. [Adopted, Feb. 15,
868	868	2017; Amended Mar. 7, 2019.]
869	869	30. All motions or orders extending the time within which joint committees and the committees
870	870	on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, are required to report shall be referred without
871	871	debate to the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, who shall report
872	872	recommending what action should be taken on the motion or order. Such extension shall be
873	873	granted by a concurrent majority vote if recommended by the committees on Rules of the two
874	874	branches, acting concurrently; but no such extension shall be granted, against the 29
875	875	recommendation of the committees, except by a four-fifths vote of the members of each branch
876	876	present and voting on the extension. This rule shall not be rescinded, amended or suspended,
877	877	except by a concurrent vote of four-fifths of the members of each branch present and voting
878	878	thereon. [Adopted Jan. 16, 1903. Amended Feb. 6, 1912; Feb. 19, 1920; Jan. 6, 1947; Jan. 27, 1955; June 7, 1965.]
879	879	Members.
880	880	31. A member of either branch who directly or indirectly solicits for such member or others any
881	881	position or office within the gift or control of a railroad corporation, street railway company, gas
882	882	or electric light company, telegraph or telephone company, aqueduct or water company, or other
883	883	public service corporation, shall be subject to suspension for such solicitation, or to such other
884	884	penalty as the branch of which the person is a member may see fit to impose. [See G. L. 271, sec.
885	885	40.] [Adopted May 22, 1902.]
886	886	Accommodations for Reporters.
887	887	32. Subject to the approval and direction of the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting
888	888	concurrently, during the session, and of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
889	889	of Representatives after prorogation, the use of the rooms and facilities assigned to reporters in
890	890	the State House shall be under the control of the organizations of legislative reporters known as
891	891	the Massachusetts State House Press Association and the State House Broadcasters Association.
892	892	No person shall be permitted to use such rooms or facilities who is not entitled to the privileges
893	893	of the reporters' galleries of the Senate or of the House. Within 10 days after the General Court
894	894	convenes the Massachusetts State House Press Association and the State House Broadcasters
895	895	Association shall each transmit to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
896	896	Representatives and the Sergeant-at-Arms a list of the legislative reporters with the principal
897	897	publication or news service which each represents. [Adopted Jan. 27, 1911. Amended Feb. 24, 1914; Feb. 19,
898	898	1920; April 17, 1925; May 23, 1979; Feb. 12, 2009.]
899	899	Suspension of Rules.
900	900	33. Any joint rule except Rule 10 and Rule 30 may be altered, suspended or rescinded by a
901	901	concurrent vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch present and voting thereon. [Amended
902	902	Feb. 7, 1893. Adopted in revised form Jan. 9, 1899. Amended Jan. 16, 1903; Jan. 26, 2005.]
903	903	Audit of Accounts.
904	904	34. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall provide that an
905	905	outside independent audit of joint financial accounts be conducted by a certified public 30
906	906	accountant no less frequently that at the end of each second fiscal year. A copy of such audit
907	907	shall be filed with the Clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, and made available for
908	908	public inspection upon reasonable notice and during regular office hours. [Adopted May 30, 1985.]
909	909	35. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall reexamine the Joint
910	910	Rules of the House and Senate as needed, but at least every 4 years, and shall report to each
911	911	branch any recommendations it may have to facilitate the work of the respective branches and
912	912	the joint standing committees. [Adopted June 12, 1995.]
913	913	Procurement.
914	914	36. (a) The House Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall complete
915	915	the procurement of all goods and services from the joint legislative account. Procurements for
916	916	goods or services shall be made pursuant to a statewide procurement contract established by the
917	917	operational services division, to the extent practicable, as determined by the House Business
918	918	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate. If the Business Manager and the Chief
919	919	Financial Officer determine that a procurement cannot be made using a statewide procurement
920	920	contract established by the operational services division, they may procure the required goods or
921	921	services under subsections (b), (c) or (d).
922	922	(b) Procurement of a supply or service from a vendor not on a statewide procurement contract
923	923	valued at less than $10,000 shall be made at the discretion of the House Business Manager and
924	924	the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate.
925	925	(c) If the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate seek to procure
926	926	a supply or service from a vendor not on a statewide procurement contract valued at $10,000 or
927	927	more, but less than $100,000, they shall seek quotations from not fewer than 3 persons providing
928	928	such supply or service. The House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the
929	929	Senate shall record the names and addresses of all persons from whom quotations were received,
930	930	the names of the persons submitting quotations and the date and amount of each quotation. The
931	931	House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall award the contract
932	932	to the responsible person whose quotation offers the needed quality of supply or service and
933	933	which represents the best value for the General Court.
934	934	(d) If the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate seek to procure
935	935	a supply or service from a vendor not on a statewide procurement contract valued at $100,000 or
936	936	more, the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall seek 31
937	937	proposals through a competitive bid process, which shall be established by the House Business
938	938	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate. The House Business Manager and the
939	939	Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall include diversity and inclusion plan requirements in
940	940	all requests for proposals.
941	941	(e) The House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall maintain a
942	942	file on each procurement not executed using a statewide procurement contract established by the
943	943	operational services division and in excess of $10,000 and shall include in such file all
944	944	documents constituting the agreement for goods and services and all documents required by
945	945	subsection (c) or (d). The files maintained shall be available for inspection by members of the
946	946	General Court during regular business hours unless the information is otherwise protected by
947	947	state or federal law.
948	948	(f) Whenever the time required to comply with a requirement of this rule would endanger the
949	949	health, safety or convenience of the members, staff or visitors to the House of Representatives or
950	950	Senate the House Business Manager and the Senate Chief Financial Officer may make an
951	951	emergency procurement without satisfying the requirement of this rules; provided, however, that
952	952	both the House Business Manager and the Senate Chief Financial Officer certify in writing that:
953	953	(i) an emergency exists and explain the nature thereof; (ii) the emergency procurement is limited
954	954	to only supplies or services necessary to meet the emergency; (iii) shall conform to the
955	955	requirements of rule to the extent practicable under the circumstances; (iv) each contractor’s
956	956	name, (v) the amount and the type of each contract; (vi) the supplies or services provided under
957	957	each contract; (vii) and basis for determining the need for an emergency procurement.
958	958	(g) In addition to the requirements of this rule, all procurements for legal services shall be
959	959	approved by the House and Senate Counsel.
960	960	(h) If, in the determination of the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the
961	961	Senate, an emergency procurement of greater than $10,000 is necessary, the House Business
962	962	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate may procure the goods or services
963	963	immediately and create and maintain a file explaining the nature of the emergency and the goods
964	964	or services that were procured as a result. The House Business Manager and the Chief Financial
965	965	Officer of the Senate shall document the goods or services that were procured, the process used
966	966	to procure the goods or services, the vendors that were contacted and any other information
967	967	relevant to the procurement, and make that information available to members of the General 32
968	968	Court during regular business hours, unless the information is otherwise protected by state or
969	969	federal law.
970	970	(i) Any procurement by the House Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer Officer of the
971	971	Senate under Rule 36 for over $10,000 either individual or cumulative shall be submitted to the
972	972	state comptroller for posting on the Open Checkbook website or its equivalent. [Adopted Mar. 14,
973	973	2013; Amended Feb. 15, 2017; Mar. 7, 2019.]