Massachusetts General Court

The Massachusetts General Court (formally The General Court of Massachusetts) is the supreme legislative authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the state of Massachusetts in the United States. The name General Court still originates from the early days of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where there next to the legislation and judicial procedures were performed.

Prior to the acquisition of the federal Constitution in 1780 was the name Great and General Court, but this was by John Adams, the author of the Massachusetts Constitution, probably shortened for reasons of simplicity. The Parliament consists of a bicameral: The House of Lords is the composite of 40 members Senate, the House is the House of Representatives with 160 members ( until 1978 still consisting of 240 members ) was formed. Parliament shall, at the Massachusetts State House together in Boston's Beacon Hill.

Current President of the Senate since the March 21, 2007 Therese Murray, Speaker of the House since January 27, 2009 Robert DeLeo. The Democratic Party holds the qualified majority in both chambers.

Senators and Representatives shall be elected for a period of two years.

House of Representatives

Each member of the House of Representatives, representing about 40,000 inhabitants. The districts are named after the county in which they mainly are. The boundaries of the districts generally run within the respective counties, but some of them also include portions of adjoining counties. Currently, the House of Representatives is composed of 128 Democrats in Massachusetts and 32 Republicans.

Senate

There are 40 districts in Massachusetts senator, named after the counties in which they are located. Currently, the Senate is composed of 36 members of the Democrats and four members of the Republican Party.

Legislative procedure

The General Court is responsible for the enactment of laws in the state of Massachusetts. In this case, both chambers simultaneously work on upcoming practices and initiatives that are brought to their attention.

The legislation begins in a Secretariat of the upper or lower house, where petitions and bills processed and prepared for further proceedings. The designs are assigned to allow a later unambiguous assignment before they are forwarded to a thematically relevant joint committees of the 26 numbers. The committees are concerned with, for example, taxation, education, health care or insurance issues and are made ​​up of six senators and eleven representatives assembled. The standing committees hold public hearings for the draft, where the citizens, legislators and lobbyists are given the opportunity to present their respective opinions. The members of the Committee consequent on the public hearings again in this closed group together to evaluate the arguments they heard and discuss. These meetings are open to the public, but there is no possibility of participating more. Based on the result of the deliberations, the Committee shall make a recommendation on how to proceed ( "ought to pass " or "ought not to pass" ) to all members of the House or Senate.

The first reading of a draft in favor done automatically by the publication of the reports of the committees in the internal journal. In the Senate, get all the designs that do not require the inclusion of other committees, for the second reading of the Committee on Steering and Policy, House of Representatives, the draft for the second reading in the daily calendar (Orders of the Day ) is entered. Are the finances of the Commonwealth concerned, the Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction in both houses. Are the finances of counties affected, the Committee on Counties involved in the House of Representatives with the design. Even if a design has been rejected in the first reading, it will be submitted to the respective houses for a second reading. These can reject the draft final, but they can modify and then treated as if it had been a positive response by the Committee of him if necessary.

After the second reading the draft will be made open discussion on additives and related applications. If, after the debate, the subsequent vote is positive, the draft is accepted for third reading and initially forwarded to the Committee on Bills, where particular technical points and the basic legality and possible unconstitutionality be checked. It also ensures that existing laws are not duplicated or thwarted. The Committee then prepares a report and gives the draft to the House of Representatives or the Senate back to the third reading. At this time, the legislator can discuss it further and possibly introduce other additives. After the third reading is voted on whether the draft should be dealt with in depth ( "passing the bill to be engrossed ").

The design must then undergo a further three readings and a " detailed discussion " in the other chamber - ie a date in the Senate discussed design gets the same procedure again in the House of Representatives and vice versa. If this step also successfully completed, the draft is forwarded to the Legislative Engrossing Division, where it is written in compliance with the statutes of the Commonwealth on a special parchment. But added by the second chamber additions, the design goes back to the first vote on the addition. If this is rejected, a special committee may be formed, consisting of three members each from both chambers and both political parties represented. This then worked out a compromise proposal, which will then be submitted to both chambers for a vote.

The final step is to vote on the enactment of the law, which is then carried out first in the House and in the Senate. Following the adoption of the document to the Governor of Massachusetts is forwarded, with the signing of which gained the law valid. However, the signature is not required during the annual legislative procedure de facto - is the Governor of the design 10 days ago and he does nothing, the law will become effective without his signature. The governor can also veto or refer the draft back with any changes to the Legislature. A veto of the Governor may be overruled by a two-thirds majority of both chambers again. If the annual session of the legislature already completed and signed by the Governor of the draft within 10 days, the law is not valid. This is called a pocket veto. The ten-day period starts on the day following the submission to the Governor and includes day including Sundays and holidays, even if they fall on the tenth day.

A signed by the governor draft becomes final after 90 days, unless a special additional pretending an urgency after signing can be valid, the law immediately. Such an addition requires a two-thirds majority of both chambers, but in addition, also the governor himself explain the urgency and can be legally the law immediately.