The Massachusetts House on an unspecified day in August approved a series of procedural motions that extended a committee reporting deadline, suspended a joint rule to send a petition about the family self‑sufficiency program to the Committee on Housing and advanced several local charter and liquor‑license bills toward engrossment.

The actions matter because they move proposed changes — including a petition to expand eligibility for the family self‑sufficiency program — further into the legislative process and put several local charter and licensing measures on track for final consideration.

The committee on rules reported that an order filed by Representative Cabral of New Bedford and Tyler of Boston to extend the time for the committee on state administration and regulatory oversight to report on current House documents “ought to be adopted.” Mr. Donato of Medford moved to suspend the rules to consider the order; the presiding officer put the question and, by voice vote, “the ayes have it,” and the order was adopted. The committee text specified the extension runs until Dec. 3, 2025.

Separately, the committee on rules, acting with the rules committee of the other branch, recommended that joint rule 12 be suspended on a petition by Manny Cruz, Hannah Bowen and John Francis Moran seeking legislation to expand access to the family self‑sufficiency program and that the matter be referred to the Committee on Housing. Representative Owens of Watertown moved to suspend the rule; the chamber again approved the suspension by voice vote and joint rule 12 was suspended, sending the petition to the Committee on Housing.

The House also moved a number of bills to third reading or passed them to be engrossed after the committee on bills in the third reading released them. Among the measures the presiding officer announced as released and then passed to be engrossed by voice vote were: House Bill 2,313, “An act relative to the regional commissions on the status of women”; House Bill 3,911, an act amending the charter of the town of Millis; House Bill 4,276, reauthorizing the town of Swansea to issue additional licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises; House Bill 4,287, authorizing the town of West Springfield to grant four additional licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises; and a bill authorizing the town of Avon to appoint a town clerk (House Bill 22 70 in the transcript). Each of those bills was ordered to a third reading or passed to be engrossed by voice vote: “the ayes have it.”

During consideration of the Avon town clerk bill, Mr. Walsh of Peabody offered an amendment by substitution. The clerk read the amendment; Walsh moved to amend by substitution and the House adopted the amendment by voice vote. The bill was then passed to be engrossed as amended.

Most procedural actions recorded in the transcript were approved by voice vote; the chamber used standard voice procedures (“All those in favor say aye. Opposed, no. The ayes have it.”) and did not include roll‑call tallies in the provided transcript.

Less critical items recorded in the transcript include an order that, when the House adjourned, it adjourn to meet Monday next at 11 a.m.; the chamber adopted that order by voice vote. Representative Wong of Saugus moved the final adjournment and the presiding officer declared the House adjourned until the specified time.

No floor debate on the merits of the substantive policy changes (for example, the specifics of the family self‑sufficiency expansion) is recorded in the provided transcript; the record shows committee reports, motions to suspend rules, and voice approvals to advance items.