HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 675        FILED ON: 1/14/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 61

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jay R. Kaufman

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying proposal for constitutional amendment:

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution A Proposal for an amendment to the Constitution relative to a vacancy in the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Jay R. Kaufman

15th Middlesex

1/14/2013

Martha M. Walz

8th Suffolk

1/29/2013

Brian A. Joyce

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

 

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

 

Michael J. Barrett

Third Middlesex

 

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

 

Stephen Kulik

1st Franklin

 

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

 

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

 

Thomas P. Conroy

13th Middlesex

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 675        FILED ON: 1/14/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 61

By Mr. Kaufman of Lexington, a petition (accompanied by proposal, House, No. 61) of Jay R. Kaufman and others for a legislative amendment to the Constitution relative to vacancies in the office of Governor or Lieutenant-Governor.  Election Laws.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 197 OF 2011-2012.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

 

Proposal for a legislative amendment to the Constitution A Proposal for an amendment to the Constitution relative to a vacancy in the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor.

 

A majority of all the members elected to the Senate and House of Representatives, in joint session, hereby declares it to be expedient to alter the Constitution by the adoption of the following Article of Amendment, to the end that it may become a part of the Constitution [if similarly agreed to in a joint session of the next General Court and approved by the people at the state election next following]:
 

ARTICLE OF AMENDMENT.
 

Section II of chapter II of Part the Second of the Constitution of the Commonwealth is hereby amended by striking out Article III and inserting in place thereof the following two articles:—

Article III. Whenever the chair of the governor shall be vacant, by reason of his death, resignation or removal, the lieutenant governor shall become governor. Whenever the chair of the governor shall be vacant by reason of his absence from the commonwealth, or otherwise, except for his death, resignation or removal, the lieutenant governor for the time being, shall, during such vacancy, perform all the duties incumbent upon the governor, and shall have and exercise all the powers and authorities, which by this constitution the governor is vested with, when personally present.

Article IV. Whenever the office of lieutenant governor shall become vacant, the governor shall nominate a lieutenant governor who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both the house of representatives and the senate.