HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 94246        FILED ON: 9/16/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4246

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Nine

_______________

An Act relative to filling a temporary vacancy in the United States Senate..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 140 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, as appearing in 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection:–

(f) Upon failure to choose a senator in congress or upon a vacancy in said office the governor shall make a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy; provided, however, that the person so appointed shall serve until the election and qualification of the person duly elected to fill such vacancy pursuant to paragraph (a) or paragraph (c); and provided further, any person so appointed shall be of the same political party as the person vacating the office and thereby creating the vacancy.