Senate advances three House bills to establish sick leave banks for named state employees

The Massachusetts Senate during its session ordered three House bills creating sick leave banks for individual state employees to a third reading. The bills recorded in the transcript are: House No. 1596 to establish a sick leave bank for Anna C. Contreras, an employee of the Trial Court; House No. 2798 to establish a sick leave bank for Kendra Winter, an employee of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and House No. 4322 to establish a sick leave bank for Carlos Borges, an employee of the Department of Correction. Each bill was reported from the House and presented to the Senate "passed to be engrossed in that branch." Senator Feeney (the senator from Bristol and Norfolk) and Senator Dooner each asked unanimous consent at different points that the rules be suspended to allow the matters to be considered forthwith; the chair heard no objection and the rules were suspended. After suspension, the question came on ordering each bill to a third reading; senators responded by voice vote and the chair announced the bills were ordered to a third reading. The transcript records procedural action (suspension of rules and ordering to third reading) but does not record floor debate, roll-call vote tallies, amendments, or conditions attached to the bills. The bills remain on the Senate calendar for third reading and further action. No effective dates, contributing funds, or statements of fiscal impact were included in the transcript.