Legislature sets conference committee to negotiate controversial police reform bill
July 28th – (some excerpts from the Boston Herald)
Each branch named its negotiators on Monday. On the Senate side, it’s Democrats Sen. William Brownsberger of Belmont and Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz of Jamaica Plain, and Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican.
The House appointed Rep. Claire Cronin, an Easton Democrat who as co-chair of the Judiciary Committee led the House’s effort to compile a police reform bill; Springfield Democrat Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, who chairs the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, and Rep. Timothy Whelan, a Brewster Republican who voted against the bill.
Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka have all said they want to see a policing bill completed by July 31, the day legislative rules set as the end of formal lawmaking business. Spilka and DeLeo have separately suggested the possibility of extending the session if major issues are not resolved in the next few days, though no specific plan for doing so has been put forward and agreed to.
The process:
Conference Committee:
If there are differences between the House and Senate bills, both chambers must agree on one version; the measure can’t progress to enactment until the same draft is approved by both chambers. This situation, which commonly arises with appropriations bills among others, requires the appointment of a conference committee. These are temporary bodies appointed to resolve differences in legislation between the two branches. Conference committees are appointed by the Speaker of the House and Senate President of both chambers and consist of three representatives and three senators, one of whom from each body must be from the minority party. .
The Governor:
Following enactment, the bill is sent to the Governor, who may act on the bill in a variety of ways. The Governor may:
1. Sign the bill. The bill becomes law after 90 days, unless it contains an emergency preamble, in which case it becomes law immediately.
2. Veto the bill. The bill is returned to the General Court with his/her reasons for the veto. The legislature may reconsider the bill and can override the veto by a 2/3rds vote in both chambers. The bill then becomes law without the Governor’s signature.
3. The Governor may choose not to sign the bill but let it become law anyway. This occurs if he/she holds the bill for ten days during which time the legislature is in session. If the ten day period occurs when the Legislature has concluded its session, the Governor must sign the bill in order for it to become law (a rule known as the “pocket veto.”)
4. Return the bill to the General Court with recommendation for changes. This action also opens the bill to any additional amendments offered by members. The Legislature can consider the recommendation, but may return the bill without agreeing to the proposed changes. If so, the Governor must sign the bill as is, veto it, or let it become law without his signature. If the Legislature does not act on the Governor’s proposed amendments, the bill does not become law.
5. Line item veto. The Governor has this power only with respect to appropriations bills (including bond bills). He or she may veto or reduce the amount of one or more line-item appropriations or may veto outside sections, The vetoes are returned to the Legislature, which can override them with a 2/3rds majority in both chambers.
Any bills that are not passed by the conclusion of the two year legislative session are no longer under consideration and must be refiled in order to be considered during the next session.