Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S2472 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1494 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2472
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Patricia D. Jehlen
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
12	12	resolution:
13	13	Resolutions proclaiming that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting
14	14	Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state of the United States of America.
15	15	_______________
16	16	PETITION OF:
17	17	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patricia D. JehlenSecond MiddlesexJames B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester1/27/2025Dylan A. FernandesPlymouth and Barnstable1/31/2025 1 of 4
18	18	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1494 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
19	19	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2472
20	20	By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by resolutions, Senate, No. 2472) of Patricia D. Jehlen,
21	21	James B. Eldridge and Dylan A. Fernandes for the adoption of resolutions proclaiming that the
22	22	Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state
23	23	of the United States of America. Veterans and Federal Affairs.
24	24	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
25	25	_______________
26	26	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
27	27	(2025-2026)
28	28	_______________
29	29	Resolutions proclaiming that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting
30	30	Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state of the United States of America.
31	31	1 Whereas, Since the ratification of the Constitution of the United States on June 21, 1788,
32	32	2the Congress of the United States has had the power To exercise exclusive Legislation in all
33	33	3Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of
34	34	4particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the
35	35	5United States; and
36	36	6 Whereas, The Seat of the Government of the United States was accepted by the Congress
37	37	7of the United States on July 16, 1790 and transferred from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
38	38	8to the District on December 1, 1800 in accordance with the Residence Act of 1790, and was
39	39	9organized into the District of Columbia under the entire control of the Congress of the United
40	40	10States for every purpose of Government on February 27, 1801 in accordance with the District of
41	41	11Columbia Organic Act of 1801, through which the residents ceased to be considered citizens of a
42	42	12state, no longer entitled to all the rights, guaranties, and immunities of the Constitution of the
43	43	13United States including, but not limited to: the right to appoint at least three Electors in the 2 of 4
44	44	14Electoral College for President and Vice President of the United States, the right to elect two
45	45	15Senators and at least one Representative in the Congress of the United States, and the right to
46	46	16self-govern and ratify proposed amendments to the Constitution of the United States, despite
47	47	17continuing to pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and share all other responsibilities of
48	48	18citizenship of the United States; and
49	49	19 Whereas, A Twenty-Third Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was
50	50	20proposed by the Congress of the United States on June 16, 1960 and ratified by a sufficient
51	51	21number of states on March 29, 1961 granting The District constituting the seat of Government of
52	52	22the United States the right to appoint A number of electors of President and Vice President equal
53	53	23to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be
54	54	24entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; and
55	55	25 Whereas, The Congress of the United States granted a Delegate to the House of
56	56	26Representatives from the District of Columbia, who shall have a seat in the House of
57	57	27Representatives, with the right of debate, but not of voting, on September 22, 1970 in accordance
58	58	28with the District of Columbia Delegate Act, (after previously establishing the position on
59	59	29February 21, 1871 and repealing the position on June 20, 1874); and
60	60	30 Whereas, Enactment of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act by the Congress of the
61	61	31United States on December 24, 1973 and ratification of the Charter Referendum by a majority of
62	62	32the voters of the District of Columbia on May 7, 1974, re-organized the District of Columbia by
63	63	33granting limited powers of local self-government to an elected thirteen-member Council of the
64	64	34District of Columbia and an elected Mayor of the District of Columbia to relieve Congress of the
65	65	35burden of legislating upon essentially local District matters; however, the Congress of the United 3 of 4
66	66	36States granted no local control over the judiciary and reserved the right, at any time, to exercise
67	67	37its constitutional authority as legislature for the District, by enacting legislation for the District
68	68	38on any subject, whether within or without the scope of legislative power granted to the
69	69	39Council… including legislation to amend or repeal any law in force in the District; and
70	70	40 Whereas, Historically, the Congress of the United States and the President of the United
71	71	41States have interfered with the District of Columbia’s local self-government and Home Rule by
72	72	42enacting resolutions disapproving, amending, and repealing actions of the Council of the District
73	73	43of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia – including cases concerning the location
74	74	44of chanceries on December 20, 1979, sexual assault reform on October 1, 1981, schedule of
75	75	45heights on March 12, 1991, and a revised criminal code on March 20, 2023 – and by imposing
76	76	46budget riders that control and limit the use of locally-raised tax revenue – including cases
77	77	47concerning reproductive health services, cannabis use, and statehood advocacy; and
78	78	48 Whereas, On multiple occasions, a majority of the voters of the District of Columbia have
79	79	49approved initiatives and referendums expressing their desire for statehood, most recently on
80	80	50November 8, 2016, through which 85.69% of voters 1) agreed that the District should be
81	81	51admitted to the union as the State of Washington, D.C., 2) approved the Constitution of the State
82	82	52of Washington, D.C., 3) approved the proposed boundaries between the State of Washington,
83	83	53D.C. and the federal enclave, and 4) agreed that the State of Washington, D.C. shall guarantee an
84	84	54elected representative form of government; and
85	85	55 Whereas, Other state and territorial legislatures in the United States have introduced,
86	86	56debated, and passed resolutions that support admitting Washington, D.C. into the Union as a
87	87	57state of the United States of America; and 4 of 4
88	88	58 Whereas, Despite the Constitution of the United States establishing that New States may
89	89	59be admitted by the Congress into this Union, and despite the United States House of
90	90	60Representatives passing the Washington, D.C. Admission Act on June 26, 2020 and again on
91	91	61April 22, 2021, which would declare Washington, D.C. to be a State of the United States of
92	92	62America, and is declared admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the other States in all
93	93	63respects whatever, the Congress of the United States has yet to grant full statehood to the
94	94	64approximately 700,000 people of Washington, D.C.; be it therefore
95	95	65 Resolved, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting Washington,
96	96	66D.C. into the Union as a state of the United States of America; and be it further
97	97	67 Resolved, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts opposes efforts by the Congress of
98	98	68the United States and the President of the United States that interfere with local self-government
99	99	69and Home Rule – including federal laws disapproving, amending, and repealing actions of the
100	100	70Council of the District of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia as well as federal
101	101	71budget riders that control and limit the use of locally-raised tax revenue – and calls on the
102	102	72Congress of the United States and the President of the United States to enact federal legislation
103	103	73granting statehood to the people of Washington, D.C.; and be it further
104	104	74 Resolved, that copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the
105	105	75Vice President of the United States in their capacity as President of the United States Senate, the
106	106	76Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Massachusetts
107	107	77congressional delegation.