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House establishes special joint committee to consider initiative petitions
Summary
The House adopted an order to create a 10-member special joint committee to review initiative petitions transmitted under Article 48 of the Constitution; the order specifies five senators and five representatives with appointments split between presiding officers and minority leaders.
The Massachusetts House adopted an order to establish a special joint committee to consider initiative petitions transmitted to the clerk in accordance with Article 48 of the Amendments to the Constitution. The order, offered by Mister Mariano of Quincy, lays out a 10-member panel: five members of the Senate (four to be appointed by the Senate president and one by the Senate minority leader) and five members of the House (four to be appointed by the Speaker and one by the House minority leader).
The House suspended its rules to consider the order and adopted it by voice vote. The committee’s charge is to review initiative petitions transmitted to the clerk and to report back as provided by the governing rules. The order does not specify timelines or a staff assignment; appointments and further procedural details were left to the presiding officers and the respective majority and minority leaders.
The action was procedural and adopted without recorded roll-call votes; the clerk announced the voice votes and the Chair declared the ayes to have it. The House then proceeded to other business, including advancement of multiple bills to engrossment.
