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Massachusetts Senate adopts Holocaust remembrance resolution, moves multiple House bills and referrals
Summary
On Jan. 27, 2026, the Massachusetts Senate adopted a resolution recognizing International Holocaust Remembrance Day and condemned antisemitism, passed a House bill authorizing Milford’s select board to appoint a highway surveyor, advanced several committee reports and suspended rules to consider matters forthwith before adjourning to reconvene Thursday at 11 a.m.
The Massachusetts Senate convened on Jan. 27, 2026, adopted a resolution recognizing Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day and took up several routine House bills and committee reports before adjourning to reconvene Thursday at 11:00 a.m.
The session opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, and the chair presented a resolution "by Miss Greene and other members of the senate" recognizing the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp and International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The resolution recited historical figures and referenced the U.N. General Assembly designation of Jan. 27 (2005). The resolution also stated that the Senate "unequivocally condemns all forms of antisemitism" and directed that copies of the resolution be transmitted to the Consulate General of Israel, the New England Holocaust Memorial Committee and the Holocaust Legacy Foundation.
A voice vote followed on the resolution. The chair called for those in favor, and, by voice, declared "the ayes have it and the resolutions are adopted." The resolution was adopted by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.
After a brief recess, the Senate considered House No. 4663, "An Act authorizing the town of Milford Select Board to appoint a highway surveyor." The Senate voted by voice to pass the bill "to be enacted," and the clerk will present the bill to the governor after signature by the president.
The committee on the judiciary reported on a bill filed by Rebecca L. Rose to establish a sick-leave bank for Shannon Manning, an employee of the trial court, and recommended that the bill ought to pass; Senator Lydia Edwards spoke for the committee. A senator asked unanimous consent to suspend the rules to consider that matter forthwith; there was no objection and the rules were suspended to allow the bill to be ordered to a third reading.
The committee on rules reported on a petition, sponsored in the transcript by Lydia Edwards, Patricia D. Jehlen and Joanna M. Comerford, seeking legislation to protect access to justice. The Senate agreed to suspend joint rule 12 to permit immediate consideration of several House petitions and bills; several petitions from the House were then referred to their respective committees, and House No. 4805 (an amendment to the town charter of Plainville) was ordered engrossed and placed on third reading following a unanimous-consent suspension of the rules.
Before adjourning, the Senate adopted an order that it reconvene on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. A motion to adjourn carried by voice vote and the Senate stood adjourned until that time.
Votes and formal actions recorded in the transcript were by voice; the record in the transcript does not include recorded roll-call tallies or identified seconds for motions. The session included committee reports, referrals and procedural suspensions but no contested roll-call votes were noted in the transcript.
Next steps: bills ordered to third reading will return for further consideration, and referred petitions will be considered by the committees to which they were sent.
