Joint Committee on Health Care Financing 191st (2019 - 2020)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

JOINT COMMITTEE ON HEALTHCARE FINANCING
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, MA 02133-1054

March 14, 2019

Dear Clerk James and Clerk Hurley:

In accordance with Joint Rule 1, the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing has adopted the attached Rules of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.

Sincerely,

JOINT COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE FINANCING 

COMMITTEE RULES FOR 2019-2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

 
I.        GENERAL RULES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MEETINGS

A. Rules Relative to the Public

1.   All bills originally assigned to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing shall be scheduled for a public hearing. The Chairpersons may, however, mutually agree to discharge bills which have been inappropriately assigned to the committee. Additionally, the Chairpersons may mutually agree, at their discretion, to schedule for a hearing any bill referred to the committee that had previously been referred to another committee, including bills heard by such other committee(s).

2.   All persons testifying before the committee shall furnish the following information:

a.      Name;
b.      Title and Organization or Professional Affiliation (if applicable);
c.       Mailing Address;
d.      Telephone Number;
e.       E-Mail Address;
f.        Bill Number of Matter Addressed in Testimony; and
g.       Position on Matter Addressed in Testimony.

2.   For bills referred to the committee that were the subject of a public hearing held by another committee, only written testimony will be accepted unless the Chairpersons announce their intention to accept oral as well as written testimony when hearings are scheduled subject to the provisions of Rule I.A.1.

3.   The length of oral testimony of any witness shall be limited to three minutes or a reasonable time, to be determined by the Chairpersons.

4.   The Chairpersons shall be responsible for scheduling all public hearings, determining the matters to be considered at each public hearing, and prescribing the order in which scheduled matters will be considered at each public hearing of the committee.

5.   At least 72 hours in advance of any public hearing of the committee, a notice and agenda of such public hearing shall be filed with the Sergeant-at-Arms and publicly posted in such places as are designated in advance for such purposes by the Clerks of the House and Senate.

6.   At least 72 hours in advance of any public hearing, each member of the committee shall receive an official notice of the date, time, location, and tentative agenda of the hearing, including bills and summaries. The House Chairperson, in consultation with the Senate Chairperson, shall be responsible for notifying the committee members, and keeping all records of committee activity.

7.   Legislators and other public officials wishing to testify on any matter scheduled for hearing may be recognized by the Chairpersons and their testimony taken out of order.

8.   The Chairpersons shall be notified before any intended use of electronic recording devices at a committee hearing.

9.   Except for a meeting held in executive session, a meeting of the committee may be recorded by a person in attendance unless, in the judgement of the Chairpersons, such recording interferes with the conduct of the meeting. Hearings may be videotaped by the Legislative Services Bureau at the request of the Chairpersons.

10.  All electronic devices shall be turned off or placed on silent during public hearings.

11.  The use of visual aids including, without limitation, posters, displays, or charts shall be permitted only upon approval of the Chairpersons.

B. Rules Relative to the Committee

1. The Chairpersons shall determine which of them will preside at each public hearing or meeting of the committee.

2. In the absence of both Chairpersons, the hearing or meeting shall be chaired by either Vice-chairperson.

3. In the absence of both Chairpersons and both Vice-chairpersons, a committee member of the majority party shall be designated by the Chairpersons to chair the public hearing or meeting. The presiding Chairperson may designate a member as acting chair during a public hearing. 

4. The presiding Chairperson shall have general supervision of the public hearing or meeting before the committee. Any member of the committee, after being recognized by the presiding Chairperson, may question individuals testifying before the committee. All questions shall be pertinent to the subject matter.

5. The Chairpersons, upon mutual agreement, may limit the time allotted for testimony to witnesses, the time allotted for the consideration of any matter, or the length of questioning by each member after giving due consideration to the importance of the subject matter, the number of petitions scheduled for hearing and the length of time available.

II.  GENERAL RULES FOR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS

A. Rules Relative to the Public

1. All executive sessions shall be open to the public and the media; provided, that the committee may hold a private meeting in accordance with Joint Rule 1D.

2. Except for the committee members, no person shall address the committee during an executive session unless specifically requested to do so by the Chairpersons.

B. Rules Relative to Committee Members

1.The Chairpersons shall be responsible for scheduling all executive sessions and polls, and for determining the agenda for each executive session and poll.

2.   Each member of the committee shall receive reasonable notice of the date, time, place and subject matter of executive sessions.

3. Both Chairpersons shall attend executive sessions and no such session shall be held if either is absent. This requirement may be waived by agreement of both Chairpersons.

4. A quorum shall be presumed to be present at all Executive Sessions, unless doubted by a member of the Committee.

5. Unless a poll of committee members is requested on a bill that is being considered at an executive session by a member in attendance at such executive session, a majority vote of the members present shall constitute the recommendation of the committee. If such poll is requested, each member shall be so polled, in the manner prescribed by the Chairpersons, in order to determine the committee recommendation on any petition.

6. Any member of the committee shall have the right to be listed as dissenting from the committee report, or may reserve his or her rights on any report.

7. The Chairpersons shall determine the branch of the Legislature into which a favorable committee report shall be filed and shall designate the member, if other than a Chairperson, who will carry such report.

8. Executive sessions may be waived by the Chairpersons. In any such instance, a poll of the members shall be conducted, in the manner prescribed by the Chairpersons, in order to determine the committee's recommendation.

III.  GENERAL RULES FOR ELECTRONIC POLLING

1.   In lieu of an executive session, the Chairpersons may electronically poll the membership on matters before the committee. Electronic polls shall be released by mutual agreement of the Chairpersons. A majority vote of the members participating in the poll shall constitute the recommendations of the committee.

2.   Each member of the committee shall receive reasonable notice of the date, time, place and subject matter of electronic polls.

3.   The votes of the committee shall be recorded on appropriate forms. The vote of each member shall be returned to the office of the committee as indicated on the notice approved by the Chairpersons. The record of all such votes shall be kept in the committee office of the House Chairperson and shall be available for public inspection.

4.   Any member of the committee shall have the right to be listed as dissenting from the committee report, or may reserve his or her rights on any report.

IV. OTHER RULES

1.   Copies of these rules are on file in the offices of the Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives and shall be available at the offices of the Chairpersons of the committee.
V. SUSPENSION AND MODIFICATION PROVISION

1.      Any rule contained herein may be amended or suspended upon a vote of two-thirds of the members appointed to the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing.​