One of the first Senate committees appointed at the start of a new Massachusetts legislative session is a temporary Committee on Rules. It is formed to consider and deliver both Senate rules and the Senate’s proposal for Joint Rules.
Rules govern most things in the Legislature including how Massachusetts residents engage in the democratic process and how the Legislature debates and votes on pressing policy and budget matters.
This session, the Senate President appointed me to the temporary Rules Committee. It was a privilege to serve. The product of our work is embodied in the Senate Rules (S 17) and Joint Rules (S 18).
In my role on the Committee, I focused on:
- Access: I wanted remote participation in public bill hearings allowed permanently so that western Massachusetts constituents can engage robustly on critical issues. I also supported greater flexibility for Senators to engage remotely so that we can achieve greater productivity on behalf of constituents.
- Transparency: All Senate votes – on the floor and in committee – must be posted publicly and all testimony to the committee must be made public upon request. This is absolutely critical for true accountability to constituents.
- Equity: In committees which take those seeking to testify out of turn – meaning that some may be afforded privileged seating – Indigenous tribal leaders must now be among the cohort able to ask for and receive privileged time and space to testify.
The Senate and Joint Rules will be debated by Senate members on February 9. Joint Rules must be reconciled with the House and voted on in both Chambers. Failure to reconcile Joint Rules proposals will mean that the Legislature reverts back to the Joint Rules that governed the 2019-2020 legislative session.
