Thursday, April 10, 2003.

Met according to adjournment, at one o’clock P.M., in an Informal Session, with Mr. Quinn of Dartmouth in the Chair (having been appointed by the Speaker, under authority conferred by Rule 5, to perform the duties of the Chair).

Prayer was offered by the Reverend Robert F. Quinn, C.S.P., Chaplain of the House, as follows:

Holy Spirit God, we depend upon You and Your assistance in our struggle to implement Your values and precepts and our own religious beliefs in our daily activities and in dealing with others. Your guidance helps us to make just and wise legislative and personal decisions. In these stressful times, the task of selecting today’s legislative priorities and goals is not easy. Your spiritual counsel is helpful in the process. As we examine current and pending issues and policies which impact people, society and the culture, inspire us to remain faithful to our own ideals and principles. May the violence of the Middle East War, which is brought daily into our living rooms, not lessen our respect for the dignity and worth of each human person.

Grant Your blessings to the Speaker, the members and employees of this House and their families. Amen.

At the request of the Chair (Mr. Quinn), the members, guests and employees joined with him in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

At the request of Mr. Petersen of Marblehead, the members, guests and employees stood in a moment of silent prayer to the memory of Michael Kelly, a columnist for the Washington Post and editor-at-large for The Atlantic Monthly, who was killed Friday while traveling with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. He was the first American journalist to die in the current conflict in Iraq and leaves a wife and two young sons.

The following resolutions (filed with the Clerk) were referred, under Rule 85, to the committee on Rules:

Resolutions (filed by Mr. George of Yarmouth) congratulating Steven W. Eldredge on the occasion of his retirement;

Resolutions (filed by Mr. Koutoujian of Newton and other members of the House) on the occasion of the day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923;

Resolutions (filed by Mr. Vallee of Franklin) congratulating Nathan A. Carlucci on receiving the Eagle Award of the Boy Scouts of America;

Resolutions (filed by Mr. Vallee of Franklin) congratulating Thomas Edward Greene on receiving the Eagle Award of the Boy Scouts of America;

Resolutions (filed by Mr. Vallee of Franklin) congratulating Sean Joseph Kelliher on receiving the Eagle Award of the Boy Scouts of America;

Resolutions (filed by Mr. Vallee of Franklin) congratulating Eric Scott Newman on receiving the Eagle Award of the Boy Scouts of America; and

Resolutions (filed by Mrs. Walrath of Stow) congratulating Jeremy Paul Madow on receiving the Eagle Award of the Boy Scouts of America;

Mr. Miceli of Wilmington, for the committee on Rules, reported, in each instance, that the resolutions ought to be adopted. Under suspension of the rules, in each instance, on motion of Mr. Demakis of Boston, the resolutions (reported by the committee on Bills in the Third Reading to be correctly drawn) were considered forthwith; and they were adopted.

Mr. Golden of Lowell presented a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3805) of Thomas A. Golden, Jr., David M. Nangle, Cory Atkins, Geoffrey D. Hall and Susan C. Fargo (by vote of the town) relative to the establishment of a sewer system capital improvement fund in the town of Chelmsford; and the same was referred to the committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture. Sent to the Senate for concurrence.

Petitions severally were presented and referred as follows:

By Mr. Evangelidis of Holden, petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Lewis G. Evangelidis relative to persons charged with felonies.

By Mr. Scibak of South Hadley, petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Barbara Kapinos and John W. Scibak relative to the expenses of administering the abandoned property law.

By Ms. Spilka of Ashland, petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Karen Spilka for legislation to exclude certain overlay accounts from the computation of total taxes assessed under proposition two and one-half, so-called.

Severally, under Rule 24, to the committee on Rules.

A petition of Dianne Wilkerson for legislation to authorize the Commissioner of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to convey certain land in the city of Boston to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, came from the Senate referred, under suspension of Joint Rule 12, to the committee on State Administration.

The House then concurred with the Senate in the suspension of said rule; and the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1975) was referred, in concurrence, to the committee on State Administration.

By Mr. Kujawski of Webster, for the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, that the House Bill establishing a sick leave bank for Francie R. Minder, an employee of the Department of Mental Health (House, No. 3736) be scheduled for consideration by the House.

Under suspension of the Rule 7A, on motion of Mr. Galvin of Canton, the bill was read a second time forthwith; and it was ordered to a third reading.

By Mr. Binienda of Worcester, for the committee on Energy, on a petition, a Bill relative to the Energy Conservation Service Public Advisory Committee (House, No. 518).

By the same member, for the same committee, on a petition, a Resolve establishing a special commission to study energy consumption and potential savings through biomass and renewable energy sources by the state colleges and community colleges of the commonwealth (House, No. 1272).

Severally read; and referred, under Joint Rule 29, to the committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently.

By Mr. Binienda of Worcester, for the committee on Energy, on a petition, a Bill promoting energy conservation in the Commonwealth (House, No. 2787).

By the same member, for the same committee, on a petition, a Bill setting energy efficiency standards for projects of the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency, and the Massachusetts Home Mortgage Finance Agency (House, No. 3506).

By the same member, for the same committee, on a petition, a Bill relative energy efficient vehicles (House, No. 3510).

Severally read; and referred, under Rule 33, to the committee on Ways and Means.

By Mr. Binienda of Worcester, for the committee on Energy, on a petition, a Bill regarding discounts for low-income utility customers (House, No. 522).

By the same member, for the same committee, on a petition, a Bill providing for life cycle cost estimates to include energy recovery methods (House, No. 2789).

Severally read; and referred, under Rule 7A, to the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling.

By Mr. Koczera of New Bedford, for the committee on Public Service, on a petition, a Bill relative to the compensation of certain members of the General Court (House, No. 3743) [Representatives Petersen of Marblehead and Demakis of Boston dissenting]. Read; and referred, under Rule 33, to the committee on Ways and Means.

Subsequently, Mr. Rogers of Norwood, for said committee, reported that the foregoing bill ought to pass. Referred, Under Rule 7A, to the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling.

Mr. Kujawski of Webster, for said committee, reported that the matter be scheduled for consideration by the House; and, under said rule, it was placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting for a second reading.

By Mr. Kujawski of Webster, for the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, that the House Bill authorizing the town of Middleborough to issue an additional license for the sale of all alcoholic beverages not to be drunk on the premises (House, No. 3723) [Local Approval Received] be scheduled for consideration by the House. Placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting for a second reading.

House bills

Designating the Bay State Tartan as the official Commonwealth of Massachusetts district tartan (House, No. 627); and

Providing for the annual observance of Tartan Day (House, No. 2528) (its title having been changed by the committee on Bills in the Third Reading);

Severally reported by said committee to be correctly drawn, were read a third time; and they were passed to be engrossed. Severally sent to the Senate for concurrence.

On motion of Mr. Finneran of Boston,—

Ordered, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on Monday next at eleven o’clock A.M.

At twenty-four minutes after one o’clock P.M., on motion of Mr. Pedone of Worcester (Mr. Quinn of Dartmouth being in the Chair), the House adjourned, to meet on Monday next at eleven o’clock A.M.