Mass. House adopts resolutions, suspends rules and advances several local bills

The Massachusetts House of Representatives during a floor session adopted two resolutions, suspended select rules to advance a Watertown property-tax petition to the committee on revenue, ordered several local bills to third reading and passed multiple personal-exemption bills and a sick-leave-bank bill by voice vote.

The House approved resolutions commending the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on its 50th anniversary and honoring the Friends of the Somerset Public Library for National Friends of Libraries Week. The Committee on Rules had recommended adoption; the chair called the voice vote and “the ayes have it,” and the resolutions were adopted.

Lawmakers suspended Joint Rule 12 on a petition by Steven Owens concerning property-tax classifications in the city of Watertown and referred that petition to the committee on revenue. Representative Wong of Saugus moved to suspend the rules; the House agreed by voice vote. The House also voted to suspend House Rule 7A later in the session to permit further floor action.

The committee on steering, policy and scheduling reported a slate of local bills to be scheduled for consideration, including a Senate bill to authorize alternate members of the Swampscott conservation commission; a Senate bill to permit the town of Marblehead to establish fines for parking violations; and several charter-amendment bills for Greenfield, Randolph and Swampscott, plus a bill to change the board name in Williamsburg from “board of selectmen” to “select board.” The chair called the question on ordering the bills to a third reading; the voice vote carried and the bills were ordered to third reading.

On third reading and final-passage business, the House passed several personal-exemption bills to be engrossed by voice vote. The House passed bills exempting Steven Justice (House No. 2985), Javier Vargas (House No. 2986) and Britney Sproul (House No. 2987) from the maximum age requirement for firefighter positions in the city of Haverhill; each bill was passed to be engrossed by voice vote. The House also passed H 15 96 (as amended), an act establishing a sick leave bank for Anna C. Contreras, an employee of the bridal court of the Commonwealth; the chair put the question on enactment and the ayes prevailed.

The session concluded with an order that when the House adjourned it reconvene Monday next at 11:00 a.m.; Representative Mario of Quincy offered the order and Representative Howitt of Seekonk moved to adjourn. The House adjourned after a voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Adoption of two resolutions (Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection 50th anniversary; Friends of the Somerset Public Library): adopted by voice vote. - Suspension of Joint Rule 12 (petition of Steven Owens re: Watertown property-tax classifications): motion carried by voice vote; petition referred to the committee on revenue. - Suspension of House Rule 7A: carried by voice vote. - Bills ordered to third reading (committee report): carried by voice vote. Bills named in the report included: Senate No. 23 (alternate conservation commission members — Swampscott), Senate No. 2528 (parking fines — Marblehead; transcript lists “25 28”), House No. 4379 (charter amendment — Greenfield; transcript lists “43 79”), House No. 4400 (Randolph charter), House No. 4438 (Swampscott fall town meeting), House No. 4524 (change board name — Williamsburg). Specific bill texts were not provided on the floor. - Personal-exemption bills passed to be engrossed: House No. 2985 (exempting Steven Justice — Haverhill firefighter age requirement), House No. 2986 (exempting Javier Vargas — Haverhill firefighter age requirement), House No. 2987 (exempting Britney Sproul — Haverhill firefighter age requirement); each passed to be engrossed by voice vote. - Final passage to be enacted: H 15 96 (as amended), establishing a sick leave bank for Anna C. Contreras (Bridal Court of the Commonwealth): enacted by voice vote.

The record shows the bulk of floor business was procedural: committee reports, rule suspensions, readings and a series of voice votes. Where the transcript records only a voice vote, no numerical roll-call tally was recorded on the floor transcript.