On Wednesday and Thursday,, the State Senate debated and then passed their proposed Joint Rules for the session as well as their own chamber rules. Read about their rules changes here.
29 amendments were filed to the Joint Rules proposal in the debate:
- 15 were rejected without a vote.
- 4 were adopted without a vote.
- 3 were withdrawn.
Seven amendments received a recorded vote.
- 5 to 33 for an amendment from Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to reduce the maximum number of bills per hearing from 50 to 30. The 5 were the Republican caucus.
- 5 to 33 for an amendment from Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to require at least 48 hours between the filing of a conference committee report (i.e., a compromise bill negotiated between House and Senate to resolve differences) and voting on it. The 5 were the Republican caucus.
- 6 to 32 for an amendment from Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to allow for minority conference committee reports to be filed (i.e., those who disagree with the consensus bill can present an alternative). Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) joined the 5 Republicans.
- 6 to 32 for an amendment from Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to prevent conference committee reports from being considered if filed within the last 72 hours of the session. Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) joined the 5 Republicans.
- 6 to 32 for an amendment from Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy) to limit the ability of committees to grant extensions to bills past the reporting deadline. Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) and the 5 Republicans voted in support
- 9 to 29 for an amendment from Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) to require every conference report to receive a recorded vote. Senators Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough), John Keenan (D-Quincy), Liz Miranda (D-Roxbury), and Becca Rausch (D-Needham) joined the 5 Republicans.
- 38 to 0 for an amendment from Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) to extend the ban on members’ selling stocks related to legislation to cover purchases and activity by family members and staff
The House will be taking up their own joint rules package after school vacation week.
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