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Mass. House suspends Joint Rule 12 and advances package of local bills to third reading
Summary
The Massachusetts House of Representatives voted to suspend Joint Rule 12 and moved a group of local and municipal bills — including measures affecting special elections, municipal charters and sewer services — forward to third reading during a floor session, the clerk announced.
The Massachusetts House of Representatives voted during its floor session to suspend Joint Rule 12 and advance a package of local and municipal bills to third reading, the clerk announced.
The action allows a set of locally focused measures — including bills on special elections in Cheshire (House No. 801), sewer service authorizations for a parcel in Sharon (House Nos. 1024 and 4009), fines and a dedicated fund for animal shelter improvements (House No. 2247), amendments to the town charters of Sandwich (House No. 2357) and a charter for the city of Medford (House No. 4263) — to move forward for further consideration.
The committee on steering policy and scheduling recommended that those bills be scheduled for consideration by the House, and the House approved suspending Joint Rule 12 to permit consideration, the clerk read on the floor.
After the committee report, the House also approved suspending Rule 7(a) to allow the second reading of several bills and then voted to add the listed measures to third reading. The clerk used the chamber’s usual voice votes and division tallies: “All those in favor say aye … The ayes have it,” when adding the bills to third reading.
The items the steering committee recommended for scheduling included: a bill relative to the town of Cheshire’s special elections (House No. 801); an act authorizing the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to provide sewer services to a parcel in Sharon (House Nos. 1024 and 4009); a bill to increase fines for cruelty to animals and establish a dedicated fund for animal shelter improvements (House No. 2247); a bill relative to the treasurer-collector position in the town of Berkley (House No. 2320); amendments to the Sandwich charter (House No. 2357); amendments to the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act (House No. 3323); and a charter establishing the city of Medford (House No. 4263).
The procedural votes and committee recommendations were read into the record by the clerk and took effect as recorded; no substantive debate on the merits of the listed bills appears in the transcript. The House adopted an order that it adjourn to meet Wednesday next at 11 a.m., the clerk announced before the chamber adjourned.
