THE GENERAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS
SPECIAL JOINT COMMITTEE ON BALLOT INITIATIVES
Committee Rules of Procedure 2023-2024
1. The House and Senate Chairs of the Committee shall be responsible for providing to the Committee members of their respective branches, prior to a public hearing or executive session, a synopsis of all legislative documents which are the subject of such public hearing or executive session.
2. The Committee shall hold a public hearing on each topic referred to it and may group similar ballot petitions. The Chairs shall determine the format and sequencing of hearings, and may discuss multiple topics in one hearing.
3. Groups of bills may be called together. The Chairs shall establish a public hearing schedule and shall determine the groupings of bills to be heard on each hearing date. Each topic grouping shall receive a hearing by April 30, 2024.
4. The House or Senate Chair of the Committee, or in their absence a member of the House or Senate designated by their respective Chair shall preside over public hearings, executive sessions or other meetings in a manner to be determined by the Chairs.
5. The Chair shall provide reasonable accommodations and may waive any provision of these rules to ensure that persons with disabilities may participate fully in the Committee process. All questions put to witnesses before the committee shall be pertinent to the subject matter before the committee and witnesses shall confine themselves to the question under debate.
6. Any person seeking to testify at a public hearing shall, in a format to be determined by the Committee, provide the committee with their name, organization they represent, mailing address, email address, and telephone number.
7. The Committee Rules of Procedure may be adopted, amended or suspended upon a motion of either Chair and by a majority vote of the committee members present and voting.