Senate suspends joint rule 12, refers House petitions and advances Somerville charter to third reading

The Massachusetts Senate voted to suspend joint rule 12 and referred multiple petitions from the House to their respective committees. Senate members acted on unanimous-consent motions to lift the rule so petitions could be considered forthwith.

Following the suspension, the clerk reported a House bill establishing a charter for the city of Somerville, House No. 4445, as coming from the House "passed to be engrossed in that branch." The senator from Third Bristol and Plymouth, Miss Dooner, asked unanimous consent to suspend rules to consider the matter immediately; the chair heard no objection and the rules were suspended. The question then came on ordering the Somerville charter bill to a third reading, and the Senate voted by voice to order the bill to a third reading.

The Senate also repeatedly acted to suspend joint rule 12 to refer other House petitions to committee; the clerk noted several petitions were referred under the suspension and the matters were to be sent to their respective committees. These were procedural steps enabling committee review and further floor consideration; the transcript does not record debate on the content of the Somerville charter or on the individual petitions.