THE REVERE ADVOCATE - Friday, March 15, 2019 Page 19 Beacon Hill Roll Call By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATEBeacon Hill Roll Call records local senators’ votes on the only roll call from the week of March 4-8. There were no roll calls in the House last week. Hey Readers: Keep your eyes on the 2019 Legislature and the rough and tumble political scene in the Bay State with something that you will read every weekday morning. There aren’t many things out there that are free and valuable. But MASSterlist is a rarity. WHAT IS MASSTERLIST? More than 15,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, start their morning with a FREE COPY of MASSterList! MASSterList is a daily ensemble of news and commentary about the Legislature, Politics, Media and Judiciary of Massachusetts drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications selected by widely acclaimed and highly experienced editor Jay Fitzgerald. Jay introduces each article in his own clever and never-boring, inimitable way. IT’S FREE! SO, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? BEACON HILL ROLL CALL RECOMMENDS THAT READERS SIGN UP TODAY TO GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST. IT’S EASY! GO TO: www. massterlist.com/subscribe STUDY BROADCASTING INFORMAL SESSIONS OF THE SENATE Senate 38-0, approved an order requiring the Senate Committee on Rules to study and provide a report by December 31, 2019 on the feasibility of broadcasting informal sessions online in the same manner and format as formal sessions. The report would include the estimated cost and cost effectiveness of the broadcasting; the recommended format; and additional considerations for the Senate in implementing this proposal. Currently informal sessions are not broadcast. Informal sessions are ones in which there are no roll call votes and everything is approved or rejected on an unrecorded voice vote. However, at an informal session, a single legislator can hold up consideration of a bill until the next formal session by doubting the presence of a quorum. A quorum is when 21 members of the Senate are present. Since only a handful of legislators attend these sessions, the session would be adjourned for lack of a quorum. Supporters said that some informal sessions are not the brief, quiet sessions that they used to be. They said major legislation is sometimes approved at informal sessions and the public should be able to watch these online. (A “Yes” vote is for the study.) Sen. Joseph Boncore Yes HOW LONG WAS LAST WEEK’S SESSION? Beacon Hill Roll Call tracks the length of time that the House and Senate were in session each week. Many legislators say that legislative sessions are only one aspect of the Legislature’s job and that a lot of important work is done outside of the House and Senate chambers. They note that their jobs also involve committee work, research, constituent work and other matters that are important to their districts. Critics say that the Legislature does not meet regularly or long enough to debate and vote in public view on the thousands of pieces of legislation that have been filed. They note that the infrequency and brief length of sessions are misguided and lead to irresponsible late-night sessions and a mad rush to act on dozens of bills in the days immediately preceding the end of an annual session. During the week of March 4-8 the House met for a total of three hours and 5 minutes while the Senate met for a total of five hours and 12 minutes. MON., MARCH 4 House11:01 a.m. to11:36 a.m. Senate 11:00 a.m. to11:12 a.m. TUES., MARCH 5 No House session No Senate session WED., MARCH 6 No House session No Senate session THURS., MARCH 7 House11:05 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. Senate 11:05 a.m. to4:05 p.m. FRI., MARCH 8 No House session No Senate session Bob Katzen welcomes feedback at bob@beaconhillrollcall.com
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