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Massachusetts Senate approves multiple House bills, validates Hardwick special election results
Summary
The Senate voted to pass a package of House bills, including final passage of House Bill 4004 validating a Hardwick special election, advanced municipal charter and select-board changes, and approved sick-leave banks for two state employees; the measures will be sent on for final processing and gubernatorial action where required.
The Massachusetts Senate during its session voted to pass several House bills, including final passage of a measure validating the results of a special election in the town of Hardwick (House No. 4004) and advancing bills on municipal charters, select-board membership and sick-leave banks for state employees.
The action mattered because final passage triggers the next steps in the legislative process: bills ordered "to be enacted" will be signed by the president of the Senate and sent to the governor for approval when constitutionally required. The Senate recorded that two-thirds voting thresholds were met where the constitution requires them.
On the floor the presiding senator announced, "The ayes have it, and the bill is passed to be enacted," after the vote on House No. 4004 validating the Hardwick special election. The session then moved through several additional House bills. A bill to increase the membership of a town select board (House No. 4245) was read a third time and ordered to be engrossed, and the Senate took a third-reading action on a House bill establishing a charter for the city of Medford (House No. 4263).
The chamber also advanced two bills creating sick-leave banks for named state employees: House No. 4323 for Alexander Schwartz, described in the record as an employee of the Massachusetts Department of State Police, and House No. 4324 for Stephanie Ramonte Miller, described in the record as an employee of the Massachusetts "Public Tax Board." On each of these items the Senate sought and recorded unanimous or broad consent to suspend rules to allow immediate consideration and third-reading action.
Petitions received from the House were referred to their respective committees after the Senate voted to suspend Joint Rule 12 to permit the referrals. Separately, the Senate adopted an emergency preamble and recorded a standing vote on a matter related to a Senate bill (Senate No. 2580) concerning Robert Tiro, an employee of the trial court of the commonwealth; the emergency preamble was adopted and recorded as passed.
These actions were procedural final steps routinely taken when the Senate grants unanimous consent, suspends rules for immediate consideration or orders bills to be engrossed or to a third reading. Where the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote for final enactment, the Senate recorded that the threshold was met and the measures will proceed to the next step in the legislative process.
No floor debate or amendments affecting the text of the bills are recorded in the available transcript excerpt; motions to suspend rules and the formal voice votes are recorded as the basis for advancing the bills.
