JOURNAL
OF THE HOUSE.
Monday,
October 7, 2002.
Met
according to adjournment, at eleven o’clock A.M., in an Informal
Session, with Mrs. Walrath of Stow 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 of God, we are grateful for the material blessings and the spiritual
gifts which we receive from You each day. Often we are so busy with our
own responsibilities and commitments that we do not take the time to say:
Thank You! The reality of Your presence, guidance and assistance should
enable us to organize in a reasonable way our daily routine and to live
a purposeful, meaningful and responsible life. In serving the people and
the common good, inspire us to propose, evaluate and enact legislation
which is just, ethical and relevant as we together build a safe, civil
and compassionate society.
Grant
Your blessings to the Speaker, the members and employees of this House
and their families. Amen.
At
the request of the Chair (Mrs. Walrath), the members, guests and employees
joined with her in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
Resolutions.
The
following resolutions (filed with the Clerk) were referred, under Rule
85, to the committee on Rules:
Resolutions
(filed by Mr. Finneran of Boston) congratulating Faustino “Frankie”
Guido Angelo Cimildoro on the occasion of his retirement;
Resolutions
(filed by Representatives Jehlen of Somerville, Ciampa of Somerville and
Toomey of Cambridge) congratulating Somerville High School on the occasion
of its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary; and
Resolutions
(filed by Mr. Kaufman of Lexington) honoring Robert O. Ralston;
Mr.
DiMasi of Boston, 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. Kaufman, the resolutions (reported
by the committee on Bills in the Third Reading to be correctly drawn)
were considered forthwith; and they were adopted.
Communications.
Communications
From
the Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance (under
Section 3B of Chapter 7 of the General Laws) transmitting notice relative
to proposed changes in fees for licenses, permits and services to be charged
by the Department of Revenue for the intercept program;
From
the Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau (under Item 8850-0001 of Section
2 of Chapter 184 of the Acts of 2002) submitting a master plan to increase
the usage of motor vehicle safety belts in the Commonwealth; and
From
the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) submitting
a copy of the Actuarial Valuation Report of the State Employees’
Retirement System for the period ending January 1, 2002;
Severally
were placed on file.
Annual
and Special Reports.
Annual
reports
Of
the Director of the Biologic Laboratories of the University of Massachusetts
(under the provisions of Section 43 of Chapter 75 of the General Laws)
of the activities of said laboratories for fiscal year 2002;
Of
the State Ethics Commission (under the provisions of Section 2(1)
of Chapter 268B of the General Laws) for fiscal year 2002;
Of
the Group Insurance Commission (under the provisions of Section 20 of
Chapter 32A of the General Laws) relative to vendor quality improvement
program activities for fiscal year 2002;
Of
the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (under the provisions of
Section 10 of Chapter 221A of the General Laws) relative to the description
and evaluation of each program and a summary of the expenditures for such
programs for fiscal year ending June 30, 2002; and
Of
the Department of Mental Retardation (under Section 4 of Chapter 547 of
the Acts of 1991) of the activities of the Belchertown Carousel Trust
for fiscal year 2002; and
A
report of the Massachusetts Convention Center (under Section 5L of
Chapter 152 of the Acts of 1997) relative to the status of the Springfield
Convention Center project for the month of July 2002;
Severally
were placed on file.
Petitions.
Petitions
severally were presented and referred as follows:
By
Mrs. Parente of Milford, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 5348)
of Marie J. Parente and Richard T. Moore (by vote of the town) relative
to establishing a capital expenditure fund in the town of Mendon. To the
committee on Local Affairs.
By
Mr. Dempsey of Haverhill, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 5349)
of Brian S. Dempsey (with the approval of the mayor and city council)
relative to authorizing the appointment of Daniel J. McCarthy as a police
officer in the city of Haverhill, notwithstanding the maximum age requirement.
To the committee on Public Service.
Severally
sent to the Senate for concurrence.
Petitions
severally were presented and referred as follows:
By
Mr. Naughton of Clinton, petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Harold
P. Naughton Jr., for legislation to authorize the Division of Capital
Asset Management and Maintenance to renegotiate certain leases on behalf
of the Department of Environmental Protection.
By
Mr. Tobin of Quincy, petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of A.
Stephen Tobin, Michael W. Morrissey, Bruce J. Ayers and Ronald Mariano
for legislation to authorize the Trial Court to establish a sick leave
bank for Colleen McDonald, an employee of said court.
Severally,
under Rule 24, to the committee on Rules.
Papers
from the Senate.
Bills
Establishing
a building reserve fund in the city of Revere (Senate, No. 2068) (on a
petition) [Local Approval Received];
Relative
to certain recorded memoranda of litigation involving real property (Senate,
No. 2483) (on Senate bill, No. 842);
Severally
passed to be engrossed by the Senate, were read; and they were referred,
under Rule 7A, to the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling.
Reports
of Committees.
Mr.
Scaccia of Boston, for the committee on Rules, on the Order relative to
authorizing the committee on Commerce and Labor to make an investigation
and study of certain Senate and House documents concerning unemployment
insurance and business transactions (House, No. 4680) reported, in part,
asking to be discharged from further consideration of the petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 770) of Brian Knuuttila and Robert A. Antonioni for
legislation to exclude Social Security benefits in the computation of
unemployment benefits,— and recommending that the same be recommitted
to the committee on Commerce and Labor. Under Rule 42, the report was
considered forthwith; and it was accepted.
By
Mr. Dempsey of Haverhill, for the committee on Public Service, asking
to be discharged from further consideration of the petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 4656) of Elizabeth Poirier and other members of the
General Court relative to the discrimination against veterans in employment,—
and recommending that the same be recommitted to the committee on Commerce
and Labor. Under Rule 42, the report was considered forthwith; and it
was accepted.
By
Mr. Kujawski of Webster, for the committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling,
asking to be discharged from further consideration
Of
the Bill relative to the rights of adopted persons under a certain instrument
(Senate, No. 825); and
Of
the Bill relating to the confidentiality of telephone and telegraph company
returns (House, No. 194);
And
recommending that the same severally be referred to the House committee
on Rules.
Under
Rule 42, the reports severally were considered forthwith; and they were
accepted.
Engrossed
Bill.
The
engrossed Bill placing the police chief in the town of Randolph under
the civil service law (see House, No. 5273) (which originated in the House),
having been certified by the Clerk to be rightly and truly prepared for
final passage, was passed to be enacted; and it was signed by the acting
Speaker and sent to the Senate.
Orders
of the Day.
The
House Bill establishing a capital investments fund in the town of Rochester
(House, No. 4623), reported by the committee on Bills in the Third Reading
to be correctly drawn, was read a third time; and it was passed to be
engrossed. Sent to the Senate for concurrence.
 |
The
House Bill relative to the eligibility of Robert Better for death and
disability benefits under the cancer law (House, No. 5206), reported by
the committee on Bills in the Third Reading to be correctly drawn, was
read a third time.
Pending
the question on passing the bill to be engrossed, Ms. Rogeness of
Longmeadow moved that it be amended by adding at the end thereof the following
section:
“SECTION
2. The Hampden County Regional Retirement Board shall reinstate the accidental
death benefits payable to Diane Miller-Goodrich, the surviving spouse
of James S. Miller, a department of public works employee in the town
of Wilbraham, under paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section 9
of chapter 32 of the General Laws, notwithstanding her remarriage.”.
The
amendment was adopted; and the bill (House, No. 5206, amended) was passed
to be engrossed. Sent to the Senate for concurrence.
The
House Bill regarding information records of the Commonwealth (House, No.
642) was read a second time.
Pending
the question on ordering the bill to a third reading, it was referred
to the committee on Rules, on motion of Mr. Scaccia of Boston.
The
Senate Bill providing health care coverage for certain prosthetic devices
(Senate, No. 2331) was read a second time.
Pending the question on ordering the bill
to a third reading, it was recommitted to the committee on Ways and Means,
on motion of Mr. Ruane of Salem. Order.
On
motion of Mr. Finneran of Boston,—
Ordered,
That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn
to meet on Thursday next at eleven o’clock A.M.
| |
At
nineteen minutes after eleven o’clock A.M., on motion of Mr. Ruane
of Salem (Mrs. Walrath of Stow being in the Chair), the House adjourned,
to meet on Thursday next at eleven o’clock A.M., in an Informal
Session.