House suspends joint rule 12 to refer multiple petitions, including Medicare and sick-leave requests

The House voted to suspend Joint Rule 12 and referred several petitions to standing committees for further consideration. The committee on rules reported that, acting concurrently, it recommended suspending Joint Rule 12 so petitions could be referred directly. The items listed for referral included a petition from Thomas M. Stanley asking the committee on healthcare financing to consider Medicare coverage for end-stage renal disease, petitions from James J. O'Day and Jeffrey N. Roy seeking establishment of sick leave banks for named Department of Correction employees, and a petition from William C. Gavin related to permitting transportation of certain loads, referred to the committee on transportation. Mr. Donato of Medford moved to suspend the joint rule; the motion carried with the ayes prevailing. The House then ordered the listed petitions to the committees specified. The action is procedural and refers those petitions to committees for review; no committee hearings, votes on merits, or timelines were announced on the floor during the session.