|
NOTICE: - While reasonable efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the data herein, this is NOT the official version of Senate Journal. It is published to provide information in a timely manner, but has not been proofread against the events of the session for this day. All information obtained from this source should be checked against a proofed copy of the Senate Journal. |
JOURNAL
OF THE SENATE.
Met at five minutes
past
The Chair (Mr. Havern),
members, guests and employees then recited the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
Communications.
A communication
from the Honorable Therese Murray, President of the Senate, announcing the appointment
of Mrs. Deborah Goldberg, pursuant to Section 35EE of Chapter 10 of the General
Laws, to the Commonwealth Covenant Fluid,— was placed on file.
A communication
from His Excellency the Governor submitting His Five-Year Capital Investment
Plan (FY2008-2012) (received
Petitions.
Petitions were presented
and referred as follows:
By Mr. Brewer, a
petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2328) of Stephen M. Brewer and Todd
M. Smola (by vote of the town) for legislation to establish a special fund in
the town of
By Mr. Pacheco,
a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2326) of Marc R. Pacheco and Susan
W. Gifford (by vote of the town) for legislation relative to the membership
of the conservation commission of the town of Carver [Local approval received];
Severally, under
Senate Rule 20, to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government.
By Mr. Brewer, a
petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2327) of Stephen M. Brewer and Robert
L. Rice (by vote of the town) for legislation relative to property tax deferments
for senior citizens in the town of Winchendon [Local approval received];
Petitions were presented
and referred, as follows:
By Mr. Joyce, a
petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Brian A. Joyce, Scott P. Brown, Robert
L. Hedlund, James E. Vallee and other members of the General Court for legislation
to require police notification to certain neighbors of level 2 sex offenders;
and
By the same Senator,
a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Brian A. Joyce, Mark C. Montigny, Bruce
E. Tarr, Bradley H. Jones, Jr. and other members of the General Court for legislation
relative to the divestment of state assets from nations that sponsor terrorism;
Reports
of Committees.
By Mr. Montigny,
for the committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets, that the
Senate Bill relative to providing for homeownership opportunities in weak markets
(Senate, No. 2162),— ought to pass, with an amendment substituting a new draft
with the same title (Senate, No. 2325); [Estimated
cost — less than $100,000] (Senator Wilkerson dissenting);
By Mr. Antonioni,
for the committee on Education, on petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No.
2239), a bill authorizing the Wachusetts Regional School District to borrow
money for the cleanup of oil contamination and related costs (Senate, No. 2322);
PAPERS
FROM THE HOUSE.
A Bill establishing
a sick leave bank for Colleen Hanon, an employee of the trial court (House,
No. 4183,— on petition),— was read and, under Senate Rule 27, referred to
the committee on Ways and Means.
A communication
from the City Council of the City of Boston submitting a copy of a Resolution
of said city council, adopted on August 1, urging the Legislature to take up
the criminal offender record information (CORI) program issue during its 2007-2008
session (having been sent by the House to the Senate for its information),—
was read and returned to the House to be placed on file.
Resolutions.
The following resolutions
(having been filed with the Clerk) were severally considered forthwith and adopted,
as follows:—
Resolutions (filed
by Mr. Buoniconti) “recognizing National Assisted Living Week 2007 ‘Legacies
of Love’ ”;
Resolutions (filed
by Mr. Montigny and Ms. Murray) “celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of
the gifting of the Schooner Ernestina by the people of
Resolutions (filed
by Mr. Moore, Ms. Tucker and Mr. Panagiotakos) “congratulating Mr. and Mrs.
Edward Ziaja on the occasion of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary”;
Resolutions (filed
by Ms. Wilkerson) “commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of Masjid Al-Qur’an
of
Resolutions (filed
by Ms. Wilkerson) “commending Imam W. D. Mohammed.”
Reports
of Committees.
Ms. Menard, for
the committee on Ethics and Rules, reported that the following matter be placed
in the Orders of the Day for the next session:
The Senate Bill
increasing the minimum age for appointment as a
There being no objection,
the rules were suspended, on motion of Mr. Timilty, and the bill was read a
second time, ordered to a third reading, read a third time and passed to be
engrossed.
Ms. Menard, for
the committee on Ethics and Rules, reported that the following matter be placed
in the Orders of the Day for the next session:
The House Bill validating
the actions taken at the annual town election held in the town of
By Mr. Panagiotakos,
for the committee on Ways and Means, that the Senate Bill establishing the Bristol
County Commission on the status of women (Senate, No. 1172),— ought to pass.
By Mr. Augustus,
for the committee on Election Laws, on petition, a Bill relative to elections
in the city of
Matter
Taken Out of the Orders of the Day.
There being no objection,
the following matter was taken out of the Orders of the Day and considered as
follows:
The House Bill authorizing
the town of
Pending the question
on ordering the bill to a third reading, Mr. Brown and Ms. Spilka moved that
the bill be amended by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting
in place thereof the following new text:—
“Notwithstanding
any general or special law to the contrary, the board of selectmen of the town
of Natick is hereby authorized to enter into a lease agreement for the property
at 20 Middlesex Avenue for a term not to exceed 99 years for the purpose of
construction, operation and management of a facility to provide public parking,
residential use or commercial use and parking associated with said residential
or commercial use; provided, however, that said lease shall be subject to the
provisions of section 16 of chapter 30B.”.
PAPER
FROM THE HOUSE.
The Senate Bill
establishing a sick leave bank for Todd J. Martinson, an employee of the Monson
Developmental Center in the Department of Mental Retardation (Senate, No. 1457),—
came from the House passed to be engrossed, in concurrence with an amendment
inserting before the enacting clause the following emergency preamble:
“Whereas, The deferred
operation of this act would tend to defeat Its purpose, which is to establish
forthwith a sick leave bank for a certain employee of the department of mental
retardation, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary
for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.”
The rules were suspended,
on motion of Mr. Timilty, and the House amendment was considered forthwith and
adopted, in concurrence.
Reports
of Committees.
By Ms. Menard, for
the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, that Joint
Rule 12 be suspended on the Senate petition of Mark C. Montigny, C. Samuel Sutter,
Robert M. Koczera, James E. Timilty and other members of the General Court for
legislation to amend the dangerousness statute.
By Ms. Menard, for
the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, that Joint
Rule 12 be suspended on the Senate petition of Stephen M. Brewer, Stanley C.
Rosenberg, Stephen J. Buoniconti, Christopher J. Donelan and other members of
the General Court for legislation relative to members of the Executive Council.
By Ms. Menard, for
the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, that Joint
Rule 12 be suspended on the Senate petition of Stephen M. Brewer for legislation
relative to property tax benefits for senior citizen volunteers.
By Ms. Menard, for
the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, that Joint
Rule 12 be suspended on the Senate petition of Stephen M. Brewer for legislation
to designate a certain bridge in Barre to be named after Severino D’Annolfo.
PAPERS
FROM THE HOUSE.
A petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 4221) of John P. Fresolo that certain retired veterans be
entitled to additional benefits under the public employees non-contributory
disability retirement law,— was referred, in concurrence, under suspension
of Joint Rule 12, to the committee on Public Service.
Engrossed
Bills.
The following engrossed
bills (the first two of which originated in the Senate), having been certified
by the Senate Clerk to be rightly and truly prepared for final passage, were
severally passed to be enacted and were signed by the Acting President (Mr.
Havern) and laid before the Governor for his approbation, to wit:
Further regulating
the placement of certain children (see Senate, No. 75);
Authorizing the
town of
Increasing the salaries
of the licensing board in the city of
Authorizing the
town of
Emergency
Preamble Adopted; Engrossed Bill Enacted.
An engrossed Bill
establishing a sick leave bank for Rosemary Rozak, an employee of the Department
of Revenue (see Senate, No. 2302), having been certified by the Senate Clerk
to be rightly and truly prepared for final passage and containing an emergency
preamble,— was laid before the Senate; and, a separate vote being taken in
accordance with the requirements of Article LXVII of the Amendments to the Constitution,
the preamble was adopted, in concurrence, by a vote of 3 to 0.
Engrossed
Bills.
The following engrossed
bills (both of which originated in the House), having been certified by the
Senate Clerk to be rightly and truly prepared for final passage, were severally
passed to be re-enacted and were signed by the Acting President (Mr. Havern)
and again laid before the Governor for his approbation, to wit:
Authorizing the
town of Belmont to establish another post-employment benefits trust fund (see
House, No. 1441, amended); and
Relative to the
procedures of town meeting in Burlington (see House, No. 2014, amended).
Order
Adopted.
On motion of Mr.
Timilty,—
Ordered, That
when the Senate adjourns today, it adjourn to meet again on Monday next at eleven
o’clock A.M., and that the Clerk be directed to dispense with the printing of
a calendar.
Adjournment
in Memory of Staff Sergeant
The Senator from
Plymouth and Barnstable, Ms. Murray, and the Senator from Cape and Islands,
Mr. O’Leary, presented a request that when the Senate adjourns today, it do
so in memory of Staff Sergeant Alicia A. Birchett of Mashpee.
Staff Sergeant Birchen
died August 9 as a result of injuries sustained while serving her country in
Baghdad. She was a member of the 887th Engineer Company, 326th Engineer Battalion,
101st Sustainment Brigade, and 101st Airborne Division, as well as a beloved
mother of three and member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe.
Accordingly, as
a mark of respect to the memory of Staff Sergeant Alicia A. Birchett of Mashpee,
at twenty-five minutes past eleven o’clock A.M., on motion of Mr. Brown, the
Senate adjourned to meet again on Monday next at eleven o’clock A.M.