Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S18 Compare Versions

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1	1	1
2	2	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 18
3	3	Senate, February 13, 2025-- Text of the proposed Joint Rules adopted by the Senate to be
4	4	adopted as the Joint Rules governing the 2025-2026 legislative session.
5	5	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
6	6	_______________
7	7	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
8	8	(2025-2026)
9	9	_______________
10	10	JOINT RULES OF THE SENATE
11	11	AND
12	12	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
13	13	[The dates under each rule indicate when the rule and its amendments were adopted.]
14	14	Committees.
15	15	1. Joint standing committees shall be appointed at the beginning of the biennial session as
16	16	follows:-
17	17	A committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity;
18	18	A committee on Aging and Independence;
19	19	A committee on Agriculture and Fisheries;
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 Election Laws; 2
29	29	A committee on Environment and Natural Resources;
30	30	A committee on Financial Services;
31	31	A committee on Health Care Financing;
32	32	A committee on Higher Education;
33	33	A committee on Housing;
34	34	A committee on the Judiciary;
35	35	A committee on Labor and Workforce Development;
36	36	A committee on Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery;
37	37	A committee on Municipalities and Regional Government;
38	38	A committee on Public Health;
39	39	A committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security;
40	40	A committee on Public Service;
41	41	A committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights and Inclusion;
42	42	A committee on Revenue;
43	43	A committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight;
44	44	A committee on Climate, Utilities and Energy;
45	45	A committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development;
46	46	A committee on Transportation; and
47	47	A committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.
48	48	Each to consist of 6 members of the Senate, and 11 on the part of the House except the
49	49	committees on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, Economic Development and
50	50	Emerging Technologies, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Mental Health, Substance Use
51	51	and Recovery, Health Care Financing and Transportation which shall consist of 7 members of
52	52	the Senate and 13 of the House.
53	53	Within 4 weeks of the appointment of joint standing committees in the first annual session of the
54	54	General Court, each joint standing committee shall adopt rules of procedure regarding its
55	55	conduct. Said rules of procedure, together with any amendments, shall be filed with the Clerk of
56	56	the Senate and the Clerk of the House and shall be available to the public and members of the
57	57	General Court on the official website for the General Court. No rule shall conflict with these
58	58	joint rules.
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 3
61	61	House or the Senate, under Joint Rule 4, not to another joint committee. The committee to which
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 posted on the website of the General Court . The disposition of
98	98	said reports shall be determined by the Clerks with the approval of the Speaker and the President.
99	99	The Senate and House chairs of a joint committee may appoint subcommittees to investigate and
100	100	study any matter referred to said subcommittee. Any subcommittee so established shall be co-
101	101	chaired by a majority member of the Senate and a majority member of the House who are
102	102	members of the joint standing committee appointing the subcommittee. The composition of the
103	103	subcommittee shall be proportional to the composition of the appointing joint committee;
104	104	provided, however, that not less than 10 per cent of the subcommittee’s members shall be from
105	105	the minority party. Chairs of subcommittees shall not be considered chairs under section 9B of
106	106	chapter 3 of the General Laws. A subcommittee may, upon completion of an investigation and
107	107	study, report the results of the investigation and study together with legislation, if any, by filing
108	108	the same with the Senate and House chairs of the appointing joint committee.
109	109	In the case of a vacancy of a chair of a committee, the vice-chair shall perform all duties of said
110	110	prior chair until said vacancy is filled.
111	111	Temporary employees of the general court assigned to a joint committee who are students at an
112	112	accredited education institution or employees or grantees of other non-profit organizations under
113	113	section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code may receive compensation from such
114	114	organization, according to that organization's regular program of providing such compensation
115	115	for temporary governmental or public service employment. A temporary employee's Senate or
116	116	House supervisor shall establish the employee's total compensation, shall verify that the sum of
117	117	the employee's state compensation, if any, and that any outside compensation the employee is to
118	118	receive under this rule would not exceed this total compensation, and shall file the written terms
119	119	of the employee's compensation with the Senate or House Human Resources Office, where it
120	120	shall be available for public inspection. The temporary employee shall sign a confidentiality and
121	121	ethics agreement provided by the Senate or House Human Resources Office. Joint employees
122	122	shall complete appropriate training as required by either branch of the general court, as may be 5
123	123	agreed upon by the Senate and House Offices of Human Resources. [Amended Jan. 6, 18 82; Jan. 5, 18 83;
124	124	Jan. 7, 18 84; Jan. 8 and 26, 1885; Jan. 8, 18 86; Jan. 12, 18 87; Jan. 9, 18 88; Jan. 28, 18 89; Jan. 8, 18 90; Feb. 2, 18 91; Jan. 11
125	125	and Feb. 10, 18 92; Feb. 7, 18 93; Jan. 8. 1894; Jan. 7, 18 95; Jan. 7, 18 96; Jan. 11, 18 97; Jan. 10, 18 98; Jan. 9, 18 99; Jan. 22
126	126	and 29, 1901; Jan. 6, 19 02; Jan. 9, 19 03; Jan. 8, 19 04; Jan. 6, 19 05; Jan. 4, 19 07; Jan. 5, 19 10; Jan. 4, 19 11; Jan. 1, 19 13;
127	127	Jan. 12, 19 14; Jan. 2, 19 18; Jan. 1 and 8 and Feb. 21, 1919; Jan. 7, 19 20; Jan. 5, 19 21; April 17 and 30, 1925; Jan. 5, 19 27;
128	128	Jan. 7, 19 31; Jan. 6, 19 37; Jan. 4, 19 39; Jan. 1, 19 41; Jan. 3, 19 45; Jan. 2, 19 46; Jan. 6, 19 47; Feb. 1, 19 49; Jan. 7, 19 53;
129	129	Jan. 7, 19 59; Jan. 30, 19 61; Jan. 7, 19 63; Jan. 12, 19 65; Feb. 24, 19 65; Mar. 10, 19 66; Jan. 30, 19 67; Jan. 7, 1971 ; July 23,
130	130	1974 ; Sept. 30 and Oct. 12, 1976 ; Nov. 3, 1981 ; Dec. 21, 1981 ; Mar. 15, 1982 ; Oct. 3, 1983 ; June 3, 1985 ; Jan. 25 and Mar.
131	131	14, 1988 ; Mar. 27, 1995 , June 12, 1995 ; July 17, 2003 ; Jan. 26, 2005; July 21 and September 20, 2005; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb 12,
132	132	2009; Feb. 15, 2017; Mar 7, 2019; Mar. 25, 2021.]
133	133	1A. All meetings of joint committees acting concurrently, Senate and House standing
134	134	committees, special committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, and joint special
135	135	committees and committees of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 2 branches shall be
136	136	open to the public, unless a majority shall vote otherwise. [Adopted July 17, 1973. Amended July 18, 1974;
137	137	Feb. 12, 2009.]
138	138	1B. A joint standing committee shall hold a public hearing on each matter referred to it in each
139	139	legislative session. The bill sponsor shall provide the committee a comprehensive summary of
140	140	said bill prior to the hearing. Said summary shall be made available along with the text of the bill
141	141	on the website of the general court; provided said summary shall disclose that the summary was
142	142	created by the sponsor of the bill and the committee does not certify the accuracy of its contents;
143	143	provided further nothing in this rule shall prevent a joint standing committee from completing its
144	144	own summary and making said summary publicly available. [Adopted June 3, 1985; Amended Feb. 12,
145	145	2009.]
146	146	1C. All joint standing committees shall schedule committee hearings upon agreement of the
147	147	chairs and so as not to conflict, to the extent feasible, with the schedules of other committees
148	148	and, to the extent feasible, the day of the week and times during that day set aside for formal
149	149	sessions by the respective branches.
150	150	Hearings shall be made available on a platform that permits remote public participation from
151	151	outside the hearing room through audio and video technology; provided, however, the chairs
152	152	may by agreement waive this requirement for technological, operational or logistical reasons.
153	153	Chairs shall schedule hearings that offer remote participation through Legislative Information
154	154	Services and the Sergeant-at-Arms. Members of the committee may participate remotely and
155	155	shall have the same privileges, rights and responsibilities as if the member were physically
156	156	present at the hearing location, and other members may offer remote testimony before 6
157	157	committees of which they are not a member. The agenda for such a hearing shall specify how
158	158	members of the public may access , monitor and participate in the remote aspect of the meeting.
159	159	Nothing contained herein shall limit the ability of a committee to meet in executive session,
160	160	prevent disruption or maintain decorum during the hearing. Committees may adopt rules to
161	161	govern the orderly and efficient operation of such hearings.
162	162	[Adopted June 3, 1985; Amended June 12, 1995; Mar. 7, 2019.]
163	163	1D. All hearings of joint standing committees, and special joint committees of the Senate and
164	164	House of Representatives, shall be open to the public, and any person shall be permitted to attend
165	165	any such hearing unless such committee convenes in executive session; provided however that
166	166	prior to entering executive session said committee shall state its purpose in executive session and
167	167	take a public vote that requires a minimum of two-thirds of the members of the committee voting
168	168	in the affirmative to enter said executive session. All joint standing committees shall determine a
169	169	schedule for committee hearings in accordance with 1C . These committee schedules shall be
170	170	submitted to the Clerk of the House and Senate who shall cause them to be published on the
171	171	official website for the General Court. Establishment of such schedules shall not preclude joint
172	172	standing committees from scheduling additional hearings or meetings as needed. All joint
173	173	standing committees, and special joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives,
174	174	shall notify the Sergeant-at-Arms of the time, place and agenda of all public hearings not less
175	175	than 5 days prior to the time of such meetings. The 5 day requirement shall be suspended in an
176	176	emergency only after all reasonable efforts have been made to contact all committee members
177	177	and upon a recorded vote of at least a majority of the members of each branch appointed to the
178	178	committee, but not less than two-thirds of the members of each branch voting. If public
179	179	testimony is being solicited, agendas shall include an electronic mail address or other mechanism
180	180	for the submission of testimony and shall inform the public that testimony received may be made
181	181	publicly available. Any such public testimony received by the committee that is readily capable
182	182	of being reproduced shall be made available on the general court website; provided, however,
183	183	that the committee chair or testifier may redact such public testimony that includes sensitive
184	184	personal information or information that may jeopardize health, wellness or safety; provided
185	185	further, the committee on rules shall promulgate guidance for committees to ensure the
186	186	disclosure of relevant information and the non-disclosure of inappropriate material. If expert
187	187	testimony is being solicited by the committee, the committee shall make reasonable efforts to
188	188	promote the diversity of expert witness panels. 7
189	189	Nothing contained in this rule shall prohibit a joint standing committee or special joint
190	190	committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives from taking appropriate action
191	191	including, but not limited to, the exclusion of a person from a committee meeting in order to
192	192	prevent the disruption of or interference with committee proceedings. All meetings of joint
193	193	standing committees, and special joint committees of the Senate and House of Representatives,
194	194	shall be limited to no more than 50 bills to be discussed in a hearing, unless it can be determined
195	195	that all of the bills being considered are of the same subject matter.
196	196	A meeting of a committee may be recorded by a person in attendance by means of a recorder or
197	197	any other means of audio/visual reproduction except when a meeting is held in executive session;
198	198	provided, that a person seeking to record a meeting of a committee notifies the Chairs of the
199	199	committee prior to commencing such recording; and provided further, that during such recording
200	200	there is no interference with the conduct of the meeting.
201	201	The Chairs of each committee shall preserve decorum and order during each committee hearing.
202	202	The use of visual aids including, without limitation, posters, displays, or charts shall be permitted
203	203	only upon approval of the Chairs.
204	204	Joint Committees may receive testimony from public officials out of the regular order of
205	205	participation; provided, however, that if a committee follows such a practice, public officials of
206	206	Indigenous communities shall be treated accordingly.
207	207	At any time after a matter filed by a member of the general court has had a public hearing, a co-
208	208	chair of a Committee may initiate a vote thereon if the matter is filed in the branch of said chair.
209	209	Said vote shall be taken from each member of the branch of said chair, and if a majority of the
210	210	members of said branch voting on the matter vote in support of the matter, then the bill shall be
211	211	reported favorably and referred to the branch of origination unless it is a money bill, in which
212	212	case said bill shall be referred to the House of Representatives. The Senate chair and the senate
213	213	members of the committee shall have no authority or ability to impede the vote on a bill in the
214	214	Committee filed by a member of the house of representatives , and the House Chair and the
215	215	House members shall have no authority or ability to impede the vote on a bill in the Committee
216	216	filed by a member of the senate; provided, however a co-chair shall notify their co-chair prior to
217	217	a vote. A co-chair of the Committee shall provide to the members of their branch on the
218	218	Committee either the text or comprehensive summaries of the bills or other forms of legislative
219	219	matters prior to a vote thereon. Any recorded votes on a favorable or adverse report or study 8
220	220	order on an individual bill, taken by roll call or electronic poll of each member, shall be posted
221	221	on the website of the General Court.
222	222	Any matter not filed by a member of the General Court, including, but not limited to, matters
223	223	filed by the Governor, shall have a hearing and a vote scheduled upon agreement of the co-chairs
224	224	of the Committee. Said vote shall be taken from each member of the Committee and if a majority
225	225	of the members of the Committee voting on the matter vote in support of the matter, then the bill
226	226	shall be reported favorably and referred to the branch in which the matter was originally
227	227	introduced except that reports on money bills shall be made to the House. [Adopted June 3, 1985.
228	228	Amended June 12, 1995; Feb. 20, 2007; Mar. 14, 2013; Mar. 7, 2019.]
229	229	1E. The joint standing committee on Health Care Financing shall review all legislation relating
230	230	to health care to evaluate the appropriateness and fiscal effect of such legislation. A matter
231	231	within the jurisdiction of said committee may, if appropriate, initially be referred to another joint
232	232	standing committee sharing jurisdiction of the subject-matter. Any matter reported favorably by
233	233	such joint standing committee shall be referred to the joint committee on Health Care Financing;
234	234	provided, however, that notwithstanding any rule to the contrary, any such matter so reported
235	235	shall not be read a first time in the branch in which the report was received. The next favorable
236	236	report on any such matter, if made by a joint committee, may be made to either branch. Such
237	237	next favorable report shall be considered the first reading. The branch of origin for any such bill
238	238	so reported shall be the branch receiving such favorable report.
239	239	For all matters initially referred to the joint committee on Health Care Financing and not
240	240	previously referred to another joint committee, the joint committee on Health Care Financing
241	241	may make favorable reports to either branch, at the discretion of the committee, except that
242	242	reports on money bills shall be made to the House.
243	243	In compliance with section 38A of chapter 3 of the General Laws, the joint committee on Health
244	244	Care Financing when reporting on bills shall include a fiscal note prepared under section 3A of
245	245	chapter 29 of the General Laws, showing the estimated cost or the fiscal effect of the proposed
246	246	legislation, if, in the opinion of said committee, such cost or fiscal effect exceeds the sum of
247	247	$100,000; provided, however, that any matter reported by the committee on Health Care
248	248	Financing with a fiscal effect of less than $100,000 shall not be referred, under the rules, to the
249	249	committee on Ways and Means. [Adopted Jan. 26, 2005; Amended May 19, 2005; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 12, 2009.] 9
250	250	1F. The joint committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall review all
251	251	legislation providing for the giving, loaning or pledging of the credit of the Commonwealth (see
252	252	Article LXII of the Amendments to the Constitution, as amended by Article LXXXIV). Said
253	253	committee shall be responsible for evaluating such legislation and determining the
254	254	appropriateness of enacting legislation containing increased bond authorizations for the
255	255	Commonwealth. The committee shall periodically review and hold open public hearings,
256	256	accepting oral and written testimony on the status of the bonds and notes of the Commonwealth,
257	257	including (1) general obligation debt; (2) dedicated income tax debt; and (3) special obligation
258	258	debt. The committee shall also, in its continuing study of the state’s bonding practices, review
259	259	the Commonwealth’s liabilities relative to (a) state-supported debt; (b) state-guaranteed debt; and
260	260	(c) indirect obligations.
261	261	Any bill providing for borrowing for new projects, and requiring the Commonwealth to issue
262	262	bonds for such purpose, shall, prior to its reference to the committee on Ways and Means, be
263	263	referred to the committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets for report on its
264	264	relationship to the finances of the Commonwealth. A measure may initially be referred to
265	265	another joint committee with jurisdiction over the subject matter before being referred to the
266	266	committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets; provided, however, that
267	267	notwithstanding any rule to the contrary, any such matter so reported shall not be read a first time
268	268	in the branch in which the report was received. The next favorable report on any such matter by
269	269	the committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall be considered the first
270	270	reading. The branch of origin for any such bill so reported shall be the branch receiving such
271	271	favorable report.
272	272	The provisions of Joint Rule 4 shall apply to all matters referred to the joint committee on
273	273	Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, except that where constitutionally prohibited.
274	274	The joint committee shall consult with the various agencies of the Executive branch and the
275	275	office of the Treasurer and Receiver-General relative to project expenditures, availability of
276	276	funds, the sale of new bonds and the resultant debt obligations, federal reimbursements and other
277	277	related funding and bonding issues.
278	278	The joint committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall be authorized to
279	279	conduct hearings relative to the statutory authority of the Executive branch and the Treasurer and
280	280	Receiver-General in the issuance and sale of bonds and notes and the expenditure of capital 10
281	281	funds by the various agencies and authorities of the Commonwealth. The committee shall
282	282	determine whether such laws, administrative regulations and programs are being implemented in
283	283	accordance with the intent of the General Court.
284	284	The committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets shall be authorized to report
285	285	to the General Court from time to time on the results of its hearings and to file drafts of
286	286	legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect.
287	287	Messages from the Governor setting terms of bonds and notes, or for the de-authorization or
288	288	authorization of bonds and notes shall be referred to the committee on Bonding, Capital
289	289	Expenditures and State Assets. [Adopted Mar. 25, 2021 -- previously omitted ]
290	290	1G. The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Minority Leader
291	291	of the Senate, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the Senate and House chairs and
292	292	the Senate and House ranking minority members of the joint committee on Public Safety and
293	293	Homeland Security may receive security clearance from federal and state homeland security
294	294	officials in order to be granted access to confidential homeland security briefings, information
295	295	and materials. The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
296	296	Senate and House committee chairs and the Senate and House ranking minority members may
297	297	designate 1 or more members of their staff who may receive such security clearance.
298	298	Any person who receives security clearance under this rule shall sign all confidentiality
299	299	agreements required by homeland security officials. The breach of any such confidentiality
300	300	agreement shall constitute a violation of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of
301	301	Representatives. Any alleged violation of a confidentiality agreement shall be referred for
302	302	investigation to the Senate committee on Ethics and Rules or the House committee on Ethics,
303	303	respectively, and, if appropriate, to law enforcement authorities for potential criminal
304	304	prosecution. [Adopted Jan. 26, 2005; Amended Feb. 12, 2009; Mar. 7, 2019.]
305	305	2. No member of either branch shall act as counsel for any party before any committee of the
306	306	Legislature.
307	307	2A. No member or immediate family member of the member, officer or employee of either
308	308	branch shall purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, the stock or other securities of any
309	309	corporation or association knowing that there is pending before the General Court any measure
310	310	specially granting to or depriving such corporation or association any immunity, exemption,
311	311	privilege or benefit or any measure providing for the creation of, or directly affecting any, 11
312	312	contractual relations between such corporation or association and the Commonwealth. This rule
313	313	shall not apply to the purchase of securities issued by the Commonwealth or any political
314	314	subdivision of the Commonwealth. [See G.L. chapter 268, section 10.] [Adopted Jan. 16, 1922.]
315	315	3. When the General Court is in session, authorization for any joint committee to travel during
316	316	the session shall be approved by a vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch present and
317	317	voting.
318	318	3A. A joint standing committee may, upon the written and signed report of two-thirds of the
319	319	members of the Senate and two-thirds of the members of the House appointed to said committee,
320	320	report a bill or other form of legislation without said legislation being founded upon petition;
321	321	provided, however, that matters so reported shall be germane to the subject matters regularly
322	322	referred to the committee. The committee shall hold a public hearing on such bill or other form
323	323	of legislation before it is reported. A bill or other form of legislation so reported shall be placed
324	324	in the Orders of the Day by the Clerk of the respective branch to which it is reported or referred
325	325	to a standing committee of said branch under the rules. All reports of committees not founded
326	326	upon petition shall bear the designation ‘committee bill’, ‘resolve’, ‘order’ or ‘resolution’, as the
327	327	case may be, in the Orders of the Day. Committees to which messages from the Governor,
328	328	reports of state officers, boards, committees, commissions and others authorized to report to the
329	329	General Court, may report by bill or otherwise such legislation as may be germane to the subject
330	330	matter referred to them. [Adopted June 3, 1985.]
331	331	4. Favorable reports, and adverse reports on subjects of legislation other than petitions, by joint
332	332	committees shall be made to the branch in which the matter was originally introduced except that
333	333	reports on money bills shall be made to the House and if adverse reports on matters other than
334	334	petitions which are accompanied by money bills are accepted by the House, this shall constitute
335	335	final rejection. Adverse reports by joint committees on petitions shall be made to the branch in
336	336	which the petition was originally introduced, except that such adverse reports on petitions
337	337	accompanied by proposed money bills shall be made to the House; and, if accepted by the branch
338	338	in which they are made, shall be considered as a final rejection. When a report is made from any
339	339	committee to either branch, and the subject-matter of the report is subsequently referred to a joint
340	340	committee, such committee, except for the committee on Health Care Financing, shall report its
341	341	action to the branch in which the reference originated. [See also Joint Rule 5.]
342	342	[Amended Jan. 3, 1952; April 8, 1959; June 7, 1965; Jan. 7, 1971; March 11, 1974; June 3, 1985; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 15, 2017.] 12
343	343	4A. In compliance with section 38A of chapter 3 of the General Laws, all joint committees of the
344	344	General Court when reporting on bills referred to them shall include a fiscal note prepared under
345	345	section 3A of chapter 29 of the General Laws, showing the estimated cost or the fiscal effect of
346	346	the proposed legislation, if, in the opinion of said committee, such cost exceeds $100,000. Such
347	347	fiscal note shall be filed electronically in the office of the clerk to which the report is being
348	348	made, and shall be promptly made available on the official website of the General Court. [Adopted
349	349	Jan. 15, 1973.]
350	350	5. Matters reported adversely by joint committees and the committees on Rules of the two
351	351	branches, acting concurrently, may be recommitted to the same committees at the pleasure of the
352	352	branch acting on the report, and bills or resolves may be recommitted in either branch. If a bill or
353	353	resolve is laid aside in either branch for the reason that it is declared to be broader in its scope
354	354	than the subject-matter upon which it is based, the subject-matter shall be recommitted to the
355	355	committee. A concurrent vote shall, however, be necessary for re-committal, with instructions.
356	356	After recommitment, report shall, in all cases, be made to the branch originating the
357	357	recommitment. [Amended Feb. 2, 1891; April 11, 1935; Jan. 6, 1947; May 7, 19 53; March 26, 1963; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7,
358	358	1971; March 11, 1974.]
359	359	6. Bills and resolves reported by joint committees shall be presented with spaces between the
360	360	several sections and shall be made available to all members electronically and posted on the
361	361	general court website. [Amended Jan. 28, 1889; Jan. 9, 1941; Feb. 8, 1949; Feb. 12, 2009.]
362	362	Joint Petitions.
363	363	6A. A member of the Senate and a member of the House of Representatives may file a joint
364	364	petition in either branch and shall endorse their name on the petition and a brief statement of the
365	365	nature and object of the instrument and the reading of the instrument shall be dispensed with,
366	366	unless specially ordered. The petition shall be filed in the office of the clerk of either the Senate
367	367	or House of Representatives, depending on whether it is a ‘Joint Senate/House Petition’ or a
368	368	‘Joint House/Senate Petition’ but the Journal records in the Senate and House of Representatives
369	369	shall carry both members’ names as presenters of the petition. If filed in the Senate, the petition
370	370	shall be voted upon by Senate members, and if filed in the House of Representatives the matter
371	371	shall be voted upon by House members, both in accordance with Joint Rule 1D. [Adopted Jan. 15,
372	372	1973.]
373	373	7. Whenever, upon any application for an act of incorporation or other legislation, the purpose
374	374	for which such legislation is sought can be secured without detriment to the public interests by a 13
375	375	general law or under existing laws, the committee to which the matter is referred shall report
376	376	such general law, or ‘ought not to pass’. [Amended Feb. 2, 1891; Feb. 7, 18 93; Jan. 7, 1971.]
377	377	7A. A petition for legislation to authorize a county to reinstate in its service a person formerly
378	378	employed by it, or to retire or pension or grant an annuity to any person, or to increase any
379	379	retirement allowance, pension or annuity, or to pay any sum of money in the nature of a pension
380	380	or retirement allowance, or to pay any salary which would have accrued to a deceased official or
381	381	employee but for their death, or to pay any claim for damages or otherwise, or to alter the
382	382	benefits or change the restrictions of any county retirement or pension law, shall, subsequently to
383	383	the procedure required by Senate Rule No. 20 and by House Rule No. 24, be reported adversely,
384	384	unless, when filed it be the petition of, or be approved by, a majority of the county
385	385	commissioners. [Adopted April 29, 1915. Amended Jan. 13, Feb. 19 and Dec. 22, 1920; May 24, 1926; April 11, 1935;
386	386	April 22, 1937; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 15, 1945; Feb. 20, 1951; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7, 1971; Jan. 15, 1973; Mar. 7, 2019.]
387	387	7B. A petition, the operation of which is restricted to a particular city or town (and which does
388	388	not affect the powers, duties, etc., of state departments, boards, commissions, etc., or which does
389	389	not affect generally the laws of the Commonwealth) and which is not filed in conformity with
390	390	Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution shall, subsequent to the
391	391	procedure required by Senate Rule 20 and House Rule 24, be reported adversely, unless it be on
392	392	petition filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council, or other
393	393	legislative body, of a city, or the town meeting of a town. A joint committee to which is
394	394	inadvertently referred a petition or other subject of legislation the operation of which is restricted
395	395	to a particular city or town and which is not in conformity with Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of
396	396	the Amendments to the Constitution shall report a general law which applies alike to all cities, or
397	397	to all towns, or to all cities and towns, or to a class of not fewer than 2; or shall report ‘ought not
398	398	to pass’, with the further endorsement that it ‘would be unconstitutional to enact such special
399	399	law’.
400	400	Any petition that subsequently conforms to Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to
401	401	the Constitution after filing, which have followed the procedures set forth in Senate Rule 20 or
402	402	House Rule 24, shall be forthwith reported from the committee on Rules and be referred by the
403	403	Clerk to an appropriate committee. [Adopted Jan. 13, 1920. Amended Feb. 19 and Dec. 22, 1920; May 24, 1926;
404	404	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
405	405	; Jan. 15, 1973; March 14, 2013.] 14
406	406	7C. The local approval vote required to file a petition, the operation of which is restricted to a
407	407	particular city or town under Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the
408	408	Constitution of the Commonwealth, shall expire at the conclusion of the final day of the next
409	409	immediate biennial session following the local approval vote by the city or town and in such
410	410	circumstances no additional vote shall be required to file a petition unless a vote to rescind such
411	411	approval is passed by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council or other
412	412	legislative body of a city, or the select board and the town meeting or other legislative body of
413	413	the town. [Adopted, Mar. 14, 2013; Amended Feb. 15, 2017.]
414	414	7D. The approval of a substantive amendment to a petition restricted to a single city or town and
415	415	requiring a vote of the city of town before enactment of the petition shall be provided to the
416	416	General Court before the enactment of the petition and shall be reviewed by House Counsel and
417	417	Senate Counsel prior to the enactment of the petition in either branch. [Adopted , Feb. 15, 2017.]
418	418	Notice to Parties Interested.
419	419	8. No legislation affecting the rights of individuals or the rights of a private or municipal
420	420	corporation, otherwise than as it affects generally the people of the Commonwealth or the people
421	421	of the city or town to which it specifically applies, shall be proposed or introduced except by a
422	422	petition, nor shall any bill or resolve embodying such legislation be reported by a committee
423	423	except upon a petition duly referred, nor shall such a bill or resolve be reported by a committee,
424	424	whether on an original reference or on a re-committal with instructions to hear the parties, until it
425	425	is made to appear to the satisfaction of the committee that proper notice of the proposed
426	426	legislation has been given by public advertisement or otherwise to all parties interested, without
427	427	expense to the Commonwealth, or until evidence satisfactory to the committee is produced that
428	428	all parties interested have in writing waived notice. A committee reporting adversely due to lack
429	429	proper notice or of a waiver of proper notice shall so state in its report and no bill or resolve shall
430	430	be in order as a substitute for, or amendment of, such report. Objection to the violation of this
431	431	rule may be taken at any stage prior to that of the third reading. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890. Amended Dec. 22,
432	432	1920 ; Jan. 12, 1939 ; Jan. 15, 1945; Jan. 7, 1971.]
433	433	9. A petition for the incorporation of a city or town, for the annexation of 1 municipality to
434	434	another, for the consolidation of 2 or more municipalities or for the division of an existing
435	435	municipality, or for the incorporation or revival of a railroad, street railway, elevated railroad,
436	436	canal, telephone, telegraph, water, gas, electric light, power or other public service corporation,
437	437	for the amendment, alteration or extension of the charter or corporate powers or privileges, or for 15
438	438	the change of name, of any such company, whether specially incorporated or organized under the
439	439	General Laws, or for authority to take water for a water supply, or relative to building structures
440	440	in or over navigable or tide waters, shall be placed on file, and not referred to a committee ,
441	441	unless the petitioner has given the notice and followed the procedure required by section 5 of
442	442	chapter 3 of the General Laws. But if, no objection being raised, any such petition is referred to a
443	443	committee without such required notice or procedure, the committee shall forthwith report
444	444	adversely, setting forth as the reason for such report failure to comply with the law, unless
445	445	evidence satisfactory to the committee is produced that all parties interested have in writing
446	446	waived notice. In case a bill or resolve is reported upon such a petition, after proof of such
447	447	waiver of notice, this fact shall be set forth in the report of the committee. When an adverse
448	448	report is made by a committee, on account of failure to give the required notice, no bill or resolve
449	449	shall be substituted for such report, nor shall such report be recommitted or referred to another
450	450	committee.
451	451	A petition for the establishment or revival, or for the amendment, alteration or extension of the
452	452	charter or corporate powers or privileges, or for the change of name, of any corporation, except a
453	453	petition subject to the preceding paragraph, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the branch in
454	454	which it is filed to the office of the State Secretary. If such a petition is returned by said
455	455	Secretary with a statement that the petitioner has failed to comply with the requirements of
456	456	section 7 of chapter 3 of the General Laws, said petition shall be placed on file, and shall not be
457	457	referred to a committee.
458	458	Any petition placed on file for want of proper notice or procedure under this rule shall not affect
459	459	action upon any other measure involving the same subject matter. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890. Amended Feb. 2,
460	460	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,
461	461	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,
462	462	2019.]
463	463	Limit of Time allowed for Reports of Committees.
464	464	10. All joint committees and the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently,
465	465	shall make final report not later than the first Wednesday in December of the first annual session
466	466	of the General Court on all matters referred to them before the first day of October of the first
467	467	annual session and within 60 days on all matters referred to them on and after the first day of
468	468	October of the first annual session of the General Court except that the committee on Health
469	469	Care Financing shall make final report not later than the last Wednesday of January of the second 16
470	470	annual session on all matters referred to them on or before the fourth Wednesday of December of
471	471	the first annual session and within 60 days on all matters referred to it after the fourth
472	472	Wednesday in December of the first annual session of the General Court. When the time within
473	473	which said committees are required to report has expired, all matters upon which no report has
474	474	then been made shall forthwith be reported by the chair of the committee on the part of the
475	475	branch in which they were respectively introduced, with an adverse recommendation under this
476	476	rule. If the chair fails to make such report by the end of the legislative day next following the
477	477	expiration date, all matters remaining unreported shall be placed in the Orders of the Day by the
478	478	Clerk of the branch in which the matter was originally filed with an adverse report under this
479	479	rule. Matters which have been referred under Joint Rule 29, upon which the chairs of the
480	480	committees on Rules fail to make a report, shall be placed by the respective Clerks in the Orders
481	481	of the Day of the branch in which the subject matter was referred to said committees.
482	482	Committees to whom are referred subjects of legislation may combine petitions of similar
483	483	subject matter, or other forms of legislation of similar subject matter, into 1 adverse report, and
484	484	the report on the petition shall be that said petitions or other forms of legislation ‘ought NOT to
485	485	pass,’ and if the report is accepted, all the matters contained in the report shall be disposed of.
486	486	However, petitions upon which an adverse report is accepted in only 1 branch may not be
487	487	combined with other subjects of legislation upon which adverse reports must be accepted, in
488	488	concurrence. This rule shall not apply to petitions referred to the committees on Rules of the two
489	489	branches, acting concurrently, under the second paragraph of Joint Rule 12. This rule shall not be
490	490	rescinded, amended or suspended, except by a concurrent vote of four-fifths of the members of
491	491	each branch present and voting thereon. Notwithstanding Joint Rule 30, this rule shall not be
492	492	rescinded, amended or suspended more than 3 times except by unanimous consent. [Amended Feb. 2,
493	493	1891; Jan. 25, 1894; Jan. 16, 1903; Jan. 20, 1904; Dec. 22, 1920; April 17, 1925; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 15, 1945; Jan. 6, 1947; May
494	494	7, 1953; Jan. 27, 1955; Jan. 30, 1967; Jan. 7, 1971; Feb. 4, 1974, June 12, 1995; July 17, 2003; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 12, 2009; Feb.
495	495	15, 2017; Mar. 7, 2019.]
496	496	10A. The form for all subjects of legislation receiving a favorable report shall be ‘ought to pass.’
497	497	The form for all subjects of legislation receiving an adverse report shall be ‘ought NOT to pass.’
498	498	A committee to whom is referred any other matter may report recommending that the same be
499	499	placed on file. [Adopted Jan. 7, 1971.]
500	500	Committees of Conference. 17
501	501	11. Committees of conference shall consist of 3 members on the part of each branch, one
502	502	member of each branch being a member of the minority party representing its vote; and their
503	503	report, if agreed to by a majority of each committee, shall be made to the branch asking for the
504	504	conference, and may be either accepted or rejected, but no other action shall be had, except
505	505	through a new committee of conference.
506	506	Committees of conference to whom are referred matters of difference in respect to bills or
507	507	resolves, shall, after filing their reports, but before consideration by either branch, have the same
508	508	approved or discharged by each committee on Bills in the Third Reading.
509	509	Meetings of committees of conference on the disagreeing votes of the 2 branches shall be open to
510	510	the public, unless a majority of each conference shall vote otherwise; provided, however no such
511	511	vote shall be in order at the first duly noticed public meeting of said conference. [Amended April 22,
512	512	1937; Feb. 12, 2009; Feb. 3, 2011; Feb. 15, 2017; Mar. 7, 2019.]
513	513	11A. Committees of conference to whom are referred matters of difference in respect to
514	514	appropriation bills, including capital outlay programs, shall, after filing their reports but before
515	515	consideration by either branch have the same approved or discharged by each committee on Bills
516	516	in the Third Reading.
517	517	Upon the report of a committee of conference to whom matters of difference in respect to any
518	518	appropriation bill or in respect to any bill providing for capital outlay programs and projects are
519	519	referred, the clerk of the branch requesting said committee of conference shall make available to
520	520	members of the General Court a list of the matters in disagreement identified by item number
521	521	and item purpose and showing the amount made available by each branch of the General Court,
522	522	and any other matters in disagreement and the position of each of the said branches.
523	523	The report of said committee of conference shall consist of the matters of difference so referred
524	524	and so identified, showing the amounts appropriated by each of the said branches and other
525	525	matters in disagreement and the position of each branch with respect to those matters, and shall
526	526	state said committee's recommendations with respect to the matters so referred. Matters on which
527	527	there exists no disagreement between the branches shall not be disturbed by the committee on
528	528	conference.
529	529	The committees on ways and means of each branch of the General Court shall assist such
530	530	committee of conference in any and all matters necessary to the preparation and completion of its
531	531	report. [Adopted July 30, 1974; Amended Oct. 3, 1983; Feb. 3, 2011.] 18
532	532	11B. No report from a committee of conference shall be considered or acted upon by either
533	533	branch until the 2
534	534	nd
535	535	calendar day following the day on which said report was filed and made
536	536	available to the public and to the members of the General Court. [Adopted Oct. 3, 1983. Amended July 17,
537	537	2003; July 21 and September 20, 2005; Feb. 3, 2011.]
538	538	11C. Reports, other than those filed under Rule 11A, from a committee of conference shall,
539	539	whenever practicable, be accompanied by a summary which shall be filed with the clerk. [Adopted
540	540	Feb. 12, 2009; Feb. 3, 2011.]
541	541	11D. Upon the filing of a report by a committee of conference, pursuant to Joint Rule 11B, the
542	542	clerk of the branch in which the committee of conference filed its report shall make the report
543	543	and the summary of the report available to all members electronically and to the public on the
544	544	official website of the General Court . [Adopted Feb. 12, 2009; Feb. 3, 2011.]
545	545	11E. Subsequent to the filing of a report of a committee of conference, an addendum may be
546	546	submitted to the clerk of the branch in which the report had been filed. The addendum shall
547	547	indicate that it contains only matters inadvertently omitted from or included in the report, and
548	548	shall be signed by all of members of the House and Senate who had signed the conference
549	549	committee report. The addendum shall be approved by both the Counsel to the House and the
550	550	Counsel to the Senate. The addendum, having been approved by both the Counsel to the House
551	551	and the Counsel to the Senate, shall be posted to the official website of the General Court
552	552	immediately upon receipt by the clerk of the branch to which it was submitted. [Adopted Mar. 14,
553	553	2013.]
554	554	Limit of Time allowed for New Business.
555	555	12. Resolutions intended for adoption by both branches of the General Court, petitions, and all
556	556	other subjects of legislation, shall be deposited with the Clerk of either branch prior to 5 p.m. on
557	557	the third Friday in January of the first annual session of the General Court.
558	558	All such matters except messages from the Governor, reports required or authorized to be made
559	559	to the General Court and petitions filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor
560	560	and city council, or other legislative body of a city, or the town meeting of a town, for the
561	561	enactment of a special law under Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the
562	562	Constitution and which do not affect the powers, duties, etc., of state departments, boards,
563	563	commissions, etc., or which do not affect generally the laws of the Commonwealth deposited
564	564	with the respective clerks subsequent to 5 p.m. on the third Friday of January of the first annual
565	565	session of the General Court shall be referred by the Clerks to the committees on the Rules of the 19
566	566	two branches, acting concurrently. No such matter shall be admitted for consideration except on
567	567	report of the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, and then upon
568	568	approval of two-thirds of the members of each branch voting thereon. Matters upon which
569	569	suspension of Joint Rule 12 has been negatived shall be placed on file.
570	570	At any special session called under Rule 26A, however, matters relating to the facts constituting
571	571	the necessity for convening such session shall, if otherwise admissible, be admitted as though
572	572	filed seasonably under the first sentence of this rule. Any recommendations from the Governor
573	573	shall be similarly considered. This rule shall not be rescinded, amended or suspended, except by
574	574	a concurrent vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch present and voting thereon.
575	575	[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;
576	576	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,
577	577	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.
578	578	26, 2005; July 17, 2003; Jan. 26, 2005; July 21, 2005; Sept. 20, 2005; Feb. 12, 2009.]
579	579	12A. All formal business of the first annual session of the General Court shall be concluded not
580	580	later than the third Wednesday in November of that calendar year and all formal business of the
581	581	second annual session shall be concluded not later than the last day of July of that calendar year;
582	582	provided, however, the House of Representatives and the Senate may convene for formal
583	583	business solely for the purposes of considering conference committee reports filed under the
584	584	provisions of Joint Rules 11 and 11A at any time in the 2-year legislative session .
585	585	Unfinished Business of the Session.
586	586	12B. Any matter pending before the General Court at the end of the first annual session shall
587	587	carry over into the second annual session of the same General Court in the same legislative status
588	588	as it was at the conclusion of the first annual session; provided, however, that any measure
589	589	making or supplementing an appropriation for a fiscal year submitted to or returned to the
590	590	General Court by the Governor, under Article LXIII of the Amendments to the Constitution, in
591	591	the first annual session shall cease to exist upon the termination of the first annual session.
592	592	[Adopted June 12, 1995.]
593	593	Papers to be deposited with the Clerks.
594	594	13. Information intended for presentation to the General Court by any Representative or Senator
595	595	shall be deposited with the Clerk of the branch to which the member belongs; and all such
596	596	information, unless they be subject to other rules or of the rules of the Senate or House, shall be
597	597	referred by the Clerk, with the approval of the President or Speaker, to appropriate committees, 20
598	598	subject to such changes as the Senate or House may make. The reading of information so
599	599	referred may be dispensed with, but they shall, except as provided in these rules, be entered in
600	600	the Journal of the same on the next legislative day after such reference.
601	601	A member may include a brief statement of intent with all papers intended for presentation to the
602	602	General Court. Upon a favorable report by a joint standing committee, a committee may include
603	603	a brief written statement of intent. Said statement shall be dated and shall include the scope of
604	604	the matter presented for consideration; provided, however, this rule shall not be construed to
605	605	require the presentation of such statement of intent under this rule. [Adopted Feb. 7, 1890. Amended Feb.
606	606	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.]
607	607	Dockets of Legislative Counsel and Agents.
608	608	14. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, may prescribe the manner
609	609	and form of keeping the dockets of legislative agents which are required by law. [Adopted Feb. 2,
610	610	1891; Amended Feb. 19, 1920.]
611	611	Duties of the Clerk.
612	612	15. If any part of the report of a committee over the signature of the chair or members of the
613	613	committee is amended in either branch, the Clerk of that branch shall endorse upon the report
614	614	such amendment. [Amended Mar. 7, 2019.]
615	615	16. All papers, while on their passage between the 2 branches, may be under the signature of the
616	616	respective Clerks, except as to the adopting of emergency preambles and the final passage of
617	617	bills and resolves. Messages may be sent by such persons as each branch may direct. [Amended Feb.
618	618	21, 1919.]
619	619	17. After bills and resolves have passed both branches to be engrossed, they shall be in the
620	620	charge of the Clerks of the 2 branches, who shall prepare the same for final passage in the
621	621	manner prescribed by law; and when so prepared the same shall be delivered to the Clerk of the
622	622	House of Representatives; and when the bills have been passed to be enacted or the resolves have
623	623	been passed in the House, they shall, in like manner, be delivered to the Senate Clerk and
624	624	Parliamentarian. If a bill or resolve contains an emergency preamble, it shall be delivered in like
625	625	manner, to the Senate after the preamble has been adopted by the House of Representatives and
626	626	before the bill or resolve is put upon its final passage in that branch. If the Senate concurs in
627	627	adopting the preamble, the bill or resolve shall be returned to the House to be there first put upon
628	628	its final passage, under Joint Rule No. 22. [Amended Feb. 24, 1914; Feb. 21, 1919; Jan. 7, 1971.] 21
629	629	18. [Omitted in 1971.]
630	630	19. The Clerk of the branch in which a bill or resolve originated shall make an endorsement on
631	631	the envelope of the engrossed copy of the bill, certifying in which branch the bill originated,
632	632	which endorsement shall be entered on the journals by the Clerks respectively. [Amended Jan. 28,
633	633	1889; Feb. 24, 1914.]
634	634	20. Bills, resolves and other papers requiring the approval of the Governor shall be laid before
635	635	the Governor for the Governor’s approbation by the Senate Clerk and Parliamentarian, who shall
636	636	enter upon the journal of the Senate the day and date on which the same were so laid before the
637	637	Governor. [Amended Jan. 28, 1889; Jan. 7, 1971.]
638	638	Presentation and Distribution of Documents.
639	639	21. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, may establish regulations
640	640	for the distribution of bills, reports or other documents. Bills, reports or other documents shall be
641	641	made available to members electronically and, except for petitions or other documents not
642	642	assigned bill numbers, published on the Internet. The committees on Rules of the two branches,
643	643	acting concurrently, may make such changes pertaining to the availability of bills, reports or
644	644	other documents as they deem necessary for expediting the work of the legislature.
645	645	The Clerks of the House of Representatives and the Senate shall be responsible for publishing
646	646	the journals of their respective chamber, the book Public Officers of Massachusetts, the
647	647	committee book and any other publications per order of the committees on Rules. [Amended Jan. 8,
648	648	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.]
649	649	Emergency Measures.
650	650	22. The vote on the preamble of an emergency law, which under the requirements of Article
651	651	XLVIII, as amended by Article LXVII of the Amendments of the Constitution shall, upon
652	652	request of 2 members of the Senate or of 5 members of the House of Representatives, be taken
653	653	by call of the yeas and nays, shall be had after the proposed law has been prepared for final
654	654	passage; and neither branch shall vote on the enactment of a bill or on the passage of a resolve
655	655	containing an emergency preamble until it has been determined whether the preamble shall
656	656	remain or be eliminated. If the bill contains an emergency preamble, a motion to amend the bill
657	657	may be received in either branch before the adoption of the emergency preamble, and the
658	658	amendment may contain a new emergency preamble. If the 2 branches concur in adopting the
659	659	preamble, the bill or resolve shall first be put upon its final passage in the House of 22
660	660	Representatives. If either branch fails to adopt the preamble, notice of its action shall be sent to
661	661	the other branch; and the bill or resolve, duly endorsed, shall again be prepared for final passage
662	662	without the preamble and without any provision that the bill or the resolve shall take effect
663	663	earlier than 90 days after it has become law. Procedure shall be otherwise under the joint rules
664	664	and the rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives. [Adopted Feb. 21, 1919. Amended Jan. 30,
665	665	1923; Jan. 7, 1971; Feb. 20, 2007; Feb. 12, 2009.]
666	666	22A. Bills and resolves passed to be engrossed by both branches and before being transmitted by
667	667	the clerks to the Legislative Engrossing Division shall be made available to the committees on
668	668	Bills in the Third Reading of the two branches, acting jointly, who, in consultation with Counsel
669	669	to the Senate and Counsel to the House, shall examine them to ensure accuracy in the text; that
670	670	the legislation is correct as to form; that references to previous amendments to any particular law
671	671	are correct and to ensure proper consistency with the language of existing statutes. These
672	672	committees, with the approval of the majority and minority leadership of both branches may
673	673	make corrections which are not substantive in nature. The clerks of both branches shall be
674	674	immediately notified, in writing, of any such changes. Errors discovered by the committees of a
675	675	substantive nature shall be reported to the General Court, which in turn shall take appropriate
676	676	action under its rules. Upon completion of examination and possible correction of any such bills
677	677	and resolves, the bills and resolves shall be returned to the clerks, who in turn, shall transmit
678	678	them to the Legislative Engrossing Division to be prepared for final passage. [Adopted Sept. 16, 1971.]
679	679	Legislative Amendments to the Constitution.
680	680	23. All proposals for amendments to the Constitution referred to a joint committee on the first
681	681	annual session of the General Court shall be reported by said committee not later than the last
682	682	Wednesday of April in said year, and proposals for amendments to the Constitution referred to a
683	683	joint committee subsequent to the last Wednesday in April of the first annual session shall be
684	684	reported by said committee not later than the last Wednesday of April in the second session of
685	685	the same General Court. The committee shall file its report, either recommending that the
686	686	proposal ought to pass or ought not to pass, with any official papers in its possession that relate
687	687	thereto, with the Clerk of the Senate. When the time within which said committees are required
688	688	to report has expired, all matters upon which no report has been made shall forthwith be placed
689	689	in the Journal of the respective branches, with an adverse report under this rule; and shall then be
690	690	placed on file in the office of the Clerk of the Senate. For further information of the members of
691	691	the Senate and House of Representatives, the respective Clerks shall also place all such matters 23
692	692	under a separate heading in the Calendar of each branch, as soon as is practicable. In each branch
693	693	the report shall be read and forthwith placed on file; and no further legislative action shall be
694	694	taken on the measure unless consideration in joint session is called for by vote of either branch,
695	695	under Section 2 of Part IV of Article XLVIII (as amended by Article LXXXI) of the
696	696	Amendments to the Constitution. A joint committee to which is referred any recommendation for
697	697	an amendment to the Constitution made by the Governor or contained in a report authorized to
698	698	be made to the General Court may report on the recommendation a proposal for a legislative
699	699	amendment, which shall be deemed to have been introduced by the member of the Senate who
700	700	reports for the committee; and the procedure as regards reporting, filing and subsequent action
701	701	shall be that provided for legislative amendments by this rule. Or the joint committee may report
702	702	ought not to pass for the reason that no legislation is necessary or that the recommendation ought
703	703	not to pass; and in such cases the usual procedure as regards similar reports by joint committees
704	704	shall be followed. If such an adverse report is amended in the Senate by substituting a proposal
705	705	for a legislative amendment, notice of the Senate's action shall be sent to the House and said
706	706	proposal, together with the official papers relating to the subject, shall be in the custody of the
707	707	Clerk of the Senate; and if said report is so amended in the House, the proposal, duly endorsed,
708	708	together with the other papers, shall be sent to the Senate for its information and shall be kept in
709	709	the custody of its Clerk. No further legislative action shall be taken in either branch on a proposal
710	710	so substituted unless consideration in joint session is called for under the Constitution. If either
711	711	branch calls for the consideration of any proposal in joint session, notice of its action shall be
712	712	sent to the other branch; and it shall then be the duty of the Senate and the House of
713	713	Representatives to arrange for the holding of the joint session not later than the second
714	714	Wednesday in May. Subject to the requirements of the Constitution, joint sessions or
715	715	continuances of joint sessions of the 2 branches to consider proposals for specific amendments to
716	716	the Constitution, and all rules or procedures, shall be determined only by concurrent votes of the
717	717	2 branches. The rules relative to joint conventions shall apply to the joint sessions of the 2
718	718	houses. [Adopted Feb. 21, 1919. Amended March 30, 1921; April 11, 1935; Jan. 12, 1939; Jan. 15, 1945; Nov. 9, 1951; Jan.
719	719	15, 1973; July 1, 1974; Feb. 12, 2009.]
720	720	Executive Reorganization Plans.
721	721	23A. Any reorganization plan, accompanied by a bill, submitted by the Governor under Article
722	722	LXXXVII of the Amendments to the Constitution shall be referred by the Clerks of the Senate 24
723	723	and the House, with the approval of the President and Speaker, to a joint standing committee
724	724	within 5 days of the presentation of the reorganization plan.
725	725	Said committee, to which is referred any such reorganization plan, shall, as required by said
726	726	Article, not later than 30 days after the presentation of such plan by the Governor, hold a public
727	727	hearing on the reorganization plan; and shall not later than 10 days after such hearing report that
728	728	it either approves or disapproves such plan.
729	729	When recommending action, the committee shall make, in each branch, a separate report of its
730	730	recommendations, and shall file said report together with the committee's recommendations and
731	731	the reasons for those recommendations, in writing. Majority and minority reports shall be signed
732	732	by the members of said committee. Any official papers in the possession of said committee that
733	733	relate thereto shall be filed with the Clerk of the Senate.
734	734	If the committee recommends favorable action, the report shall be that the reorganization plan
735	735	‘ought to be approved’. If the committee recommends adverse action, the report shall be that the
736	736	reorganization plan ‘ought NOT to be approved’. In each instance, the question shall be ‘Shall
737	737	this reorganization plan be approved?’
738	738	In each branch, the report shall be read and forthwith recorded in the Journal. On the legislative
739	739	day next following the Journal record, the report shall be placed in the Orders of the Day of the
740	740	Senate and the House.
741	741	When the time within which a joint committee is required to report on a reorganization plan has
742	742	expired, a matter upon which no report has been made shall forthwith be placed in the Orders of
743	743	the Day by the Clerks of each branch and the question shall be ‘Shall this reorganization plan be
744	744	approved?’.
745	745	When such plan is before either branch, no motion relating to said plan shall be allowed except
746	746	the motions to lay on the table (only in the Senate), to postpone to a time certain, or to commit or
747	747	recommit (at the pleasure of either branch). The motions to take a recess, to adjourn, the previous
748	748	question (if provided in the branch debating the issue), to close debate at a specified time, and
749	749	the motion to reconsider shall also be in order.
750	750	A motion to discharge any committee to which is referred or to which is recommitted a
751	751	reorganization plan shall not be in order prior to the expiration of 40 days after the Governor's
752	752	presentation of such plan. After the expiration of said 40 days, a motion to discharge a committee
753	753	shall be decided by a majority vote of the branch in which the motion is made. 25
754	754	Unless disapproved by a majority vote of the members of either of the 2 branches of the General
755	755	Court present and voting, the General Court not having prorogued within 60 days from the date
756	756	of presentation by the Governor, the plan shall be approved and shall take effect as provided by
757	757	Article LXXXVII of the Amendments to the Constitution.
758	758	Within 7 days of the expiration of the 60 days from the date of presentation of said plan by the
759	759	Governor, unless the question has already been decided, the Clerks of the Senate and House of
760	760	Representatives shall place the plan in the Orders of the Day; and no motions except the motions
761	761	to take a recess, to adjourn, and previous question, or to close debate at a specified time, shall be
762	762	in order.
763	763	No such reorganization plan presented to the General Court shall be subject to change or
764	764	amendment before expiration of such 60 days. [Adopted June 13, 1967; Amended March 27, 1969; June 12,
765	765	1995; Feb. 12, 2009.]
766	766	Joint Conventions.
767	767	24. The President of the Senate shall preside in Conventions of the 2 branches, and such
768	768	Conventions shall be held in the Representatives' Chamber; the Senate Clerk and Parliamentarian
769	769	shall be the Clerk of the Convention, and a record of the proceedings of the Convention shall be
770	770	entered at large on the journals of both branches. [Amended Feb. 20, 2007.]
771	771	25. When an agreement has been made by the 2 branches to go into Convention, such agreement
772	772	shall not be altered or annulled, except by concurrent vote, excepting that it shall be in order to
773	773	recess the convention from time to time upon a majority vote of said convention. [Amended Jan. 7,
774	774	1971.]
775	775	26. No business shall be entered on, in Convention, other than that which may be agreed on
776	776	before the Convention is formed.
777	777	Joint Elections.
778	778	27. In all elections by joint ballot a time shall be assigned for such election at least 1 day
779	779	previous to such election.
780	780	27A. In all cases of elections by ballot a majority of the votes cast shall be necessary for a
781	781	choice, and where there shall be no such a majority on the first ballot the ballots shall be repeated
782	782	until a majority is obtained; and in balloting, blanks shall be rejected and not taken into the count
783	783	in the enumeration of votes, excepting that when the number of blanks shall be more than the 26
784	784	number of votes received by the candidate having the highest number of votes, then the election
785	785	shall be declared void and the balloting shall be repeated as provided herein. [Adopted March 27,
786	786	1969.]
787	787	28. [Omitted March 28, 1972 .]
788	788	References to the Committees on Rules.
789	789	29. All motions and orders authorizing joint committees to travel or to employ stenographers, or
790	790	authorizing joint committees or special commissions composed as a whole or in part of members
791	791	of the General Court to make investigations or to file special reports, all propositions reported by
792	792	joint committees which authorize investigations or special reports by joint committees or by
793	793	special commissions composed as a whole or in part of members of the General Court, all
794	794	motions or orders proposed for joint adoption which provide that information be transmitted to
795	795	the General Court, and all matters referred under the second paragraph of Joint Rule 12, shall be
796	796	referred without debate to the committees on Rules of the two branches acting concurrently, who
797	797	shall report on the matter, under Joint Rule 10. All matters which have been referred under this
798	798	rule shall, in each instance, be reported back into the branch making such reference. [Adopted Jan.
799	799	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.
800	800	30, 1967; Oct. 18, 1971.]
801	801	29A. Meetings of any special commission, special legislative commission, task force or other
802	802	group authorized or required by a statute, resolve, rule, or order to make or conduct an
803	803	investigation or study of any issue shall be conducted openly and transparently. Meetings of any
804	804	special commission, special legislative commission, task force or other group authorized or
805	805	required by a statute, resolve, rule, or order to make or conduct an investigation or study of any
806	806	issue and which are chaired by members of the general court shall be posted and conducted
807	807	pursuant to the rules of the senate and house of representatives and shall be conducted according
808	808	to the following requirements:
809	809	a.)Meetings shall be open to the public;
810	810	b.)Meetings shall be announced by appropriate notice at least 5 days in advance;
811	811	c.)Any documents used in a meeting be provided to the public upon request in a manner to
812	812	be determined by the chair;
813	813	d.)Public testimony shall be accepted in a manner to be determined by the chair; 27
814	814	e.)The chair shall maintain a summary of the subjects discussed at each meeting, a list of
815	815	documents and other exhibits used at the meetings, and shall maintain a record of proceedings,
816	816	including a record of all votes. For the purposes of this rule a video or audio recording made
817	817	available to the public shall be considered an adequate record of the proceedings. [Adopted, Feb. 15,
818	818	2017; Amended Mar. 7, 2019.]
819	819	30. All motions or orders extending the time within which joint committees and the committees
820	820	on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, are required to report shall be referred without
821	821	debate to the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, who shall report
822	822	recommending what action should be taken on the motion or order. Such extension shall be
823	823	granted by a concurrent majority vote if recommended by the committees on Rules of the two
824	824	branches, acting concurrently; but no such extension shall be granted, against the
825	825	recommendation of the committees, except by a four-fifths vote of the members of each branch
826	826	present and voting on the extension. This rule shall not be rescinded, amended or suspended,
827	827	except by a concurrent vote of four-fifths of the members of each branch present and voting
828	828	thereon. [Adopted Jan. 16, 1903. Amended Feb. 6, 1912; Feb. 19, 1920; Jan. 6, 1947; Jan. 27, 1955; June 7, 1965.]
829	829	Members.
830	830	31. A member of either branch who directly or indirectly solicits for such member or others any
831	831	position or office within the gift or control of a railroad corporation, street railway company, gas
832	832	or electric light company, telegraph or telephone company, aqueduct or water company, or other
833	833	public service corporation, shall be subject to suspension for such solicitation, or to such other
834	834	penalty as the branch of which the person is a member may see fit to impose. [See G. L. 271, sec.
835	835	40.] [Adopted May 22, 1902.]
836	836	Accommodations for Reporters.
837	837	32. Subject to the approval and direction of the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting
838	838	concurrently, during the session, and of the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
839	839	of Representatives after prorogation, the use of the rooms and facilities assigned to reporters in
840	840	the State House shall be under the control of the organizations of legislative reporters known as
841	841	the Massachusetts State House Press Association and the State House Broadcasters Association.
842	842	No person shall be permitted to use such rooms or facilities who is not entitled to the privileges
843	843	of the reporters' galleries of the Senate or of the House. Within 10 days after the General Court
844	844	convenes the Massachusetts State House Press Association and the State House Broadcasters 28
845	845	Association shall each transmit to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
846	846	Representatives and the Sergeant-at-Arms a list of the legislative reporters with the principal
847	847	publication or news service which each represents. [Adopted Jan. 27, 1911. Amended Feb. 24, 1914; Feb. 19,
848	848	1920; April 17, 1925; May 23, 1979; Feb. 12, 2009.]
849	849	Suspension of Rules.
850	850	33. Any joint rule except Rule 10 and Rule 30 may be altered, suspended or rescinded by a
851	851	concurrent vote of two-thirds of the members of each branch present and voting thereon. [Amended
852	852	Feb. 7, 1893. Adopted in revised form Jan. 9, 1899. Amended Jan. 16, 1903; Jan. 26, 2005.]
853	853	Audit of Accounts.
854	854	34. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall provide that an
855	855	outside independent audit of joint financial accounts be conducted by a certified public
856	856	accountant no less frequently than at the end of each fiscal year. A copy of such audit shall be
857	857	filed with the Clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives and be made available to the
858	858	public by conspicuously posting it on the General Court’s website. The Clerks of the Senate and
859	859	House of Representatives shall notify all members of the General Court, the State Auditor,
860	860	Comptroller, and Inspector General when the audit has been posted on the General Court’s
861	861	website.. [Adopted May 30, 1985.]
862	862	35. The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall reexamine the Joint
863	863	Rules of the House and Senate as needed, but at least every 4 years, and shall report to each
864	864	branch any recommendations it may have to facilitate the work of the respective branches and
865	865	the joint standing committees. [Adopted June 12, 1995.]
866	866	Procurement.
867	867	36. (a) The House Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall complete
868	868	the procurement of all goods and services from the joint legislative account. Procurements for
869	869	goods or services shall be made pursuant to a statewide procurement contract established by the
870	870	operational services division, to the extent practicable, as determined by the House Business
871	871	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate. If the Business Manager and the Chief
872	872	Financial Officer determine that a procurement cannot be made using a statewide procurement
873	873	contract established by the operational services division, they may procure the required goods or
874	874	services under subsections (b), (c) or (d). 29
875	875	(b) Procurement of a supply or service from a vendor not on a statewide procurement contract
876	876	valued at less than $10,000 shall be made at the discretion of the House Business Manager and
877	877	the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate.
878	878	(c) If the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate seek to procure
879	879	a supply or service from a vendor not on a statewide procurement contract valued at $10,000 or
880	880	more, but less than $100,000, they shall seek quotations from not fewer than 3 persons providing
881	881	such supply or service. The House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the
882	882	Senate shall record the names and addresses of all persons from whom quotations were received,
883	883	the names of the persons submitting quotations and the date and amount of each quotation. The
884	884	House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall award the contract
885	885	to the respondent whose quotation offers the needed quality of supply or service and which
886	886	represents the best value for the General Court in the informed opinion of the House Business
887	887	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate.
888	888	(d) If the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate seek to procure
889	889	a supply or service from a vendor not on a statewide procurement contract valued at $100,000 or
890	890	more, the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall seek
891	891	proposals through a procurement process, which shall be established by the House Business
892	892	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate. The House Business Manager and the
893	893	Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall include diversity and inclusion plan requirements in
894	894	all requests for proposals; provided, however, that such process shall adhere to the terms of any
895	895	relevant statewide contract, where possible, and other provisions of this rule.
896	896	(e) The House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate shall maintain a
897	897	file on each procurement not executed using a statewide procurement contract established by the
898	898	operational services division and in excess of $10,000 and shall include in such file all
899	899	documents constituting the agreement for goods and services and all documents required by
900	900	subsection (c) or (d). The files maintained shall be available for inspection by members of the
901	901	General Court during regular business hours unless the information is otherwise protected by
902	902	state or federal law.
903	903	(f) Whenever the time required to comply with a requirement of this rule would endanger the
904	904	health, safety or convenience of the members, staff or visitors to the House of Representatives or
905	905	Senate the House Business Manager and the Senate Chief Financial Officer may make an 30
906	906	emergency procurement without satisfying the requirement of this rules; provided, however, that
907	907	both the House Business Manager and the Senate Chief Financial Officer certify in writing that:
908	908	(i) an emergency exists and explain the nature thereof; (ii) the emergency procurement is limited
909	909	to only supplies or services necessary to meet the emergency; and (iii) the emergency
910	910	procurement conforms to the requirements of this rule to the extent practicable under the
911	911	circumstances; provided further the House Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the
912	912	Senate shall keep a record of: (a) each contractor’s name, (b) the amount and the type of each
913	913	contract; (c) the supplies or services provided under each contract; (d) and basis for determining
914	914	the need for an emergency procurement.
915	915	(g) All procurements for legal services shall follow a process established by House and Senate
916	916	Counsel and the House Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the Senate, and shall be
917	917	approved by the House and Senate Counsel. .
918	918	(h) If, in the determination of the House Business Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the
919	919	Senate, an emergency procurement of greater than $10,000 is necessary, the House Business
920	920	Manager and the Chief Financial Officer of the Senate may procure the goods or services
921	921	immediately and create and maintain a file explaining the nature of the emergency and the goods
922	922	or services that were procured as a result. The House Business Manager and the Chief Financial
923	923	Officer of the Senate shall document the goods or services that were procured, the process used
924	924	to procure the goods or services, the vendors that were contacted and any other information
925	925	relevant to the procurement, and make that information available to members of the General
926	926	Court during regular business hours, unless the information is otherwise protected by state or
927	927	federal law.
928	928	(i) Any procurement by the House Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer Officer of the
929	929	Senate under Rule 36 for over $10,000 either individual or cumulative shall be submitted to the
930	930	state comptroller for posting on the Open Checkbook website or its equivalent. [Adopted Mar. 14,
931	931	2013; Amended Feb. 15, 2017; Mar. 7, 2019.]