Senate approves several House bills, refers petition to committee and adjourns

The senate convened, recited the Pledge of Allegiance and, by a series of voice votes, approved several House bills and procedural motions before adjourning until Thursday at 11:00 a.m.

Among the measures enacted, the chamber approved "an act further regulating appointments to the Acton Memorial Library, H.4173," which the presiding speaker announced "is passed to be enacted" and will be signed by the president and laid before the governor for approbation. The senate also passed H.3912, "enact increasing the membership of the board of health of the town of Marblehead from 3 to 5 members," which was reported as "amended" and "passed to be reenacted."

On a separate item, the senate took House bill H.4647, "an act establishing a sick leave bank for Amy Tangway, an employee of the trial court of the Commonwealth," up for third reading and, after a voice vote, passed it to be engrossed. The chamber likewise read and passed House number 4210, "an act removing the residency requirement for the town manager of the town of Dalton," sending that bill to engrossment after the third reading.

The body received a paper from the House described as "the house petition of Brian M. Ash for legislation to further regulate dogs and kennels." Members voted to suspend Joint Rule 12 and refer the petition to the Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government.

The session concluded after the senate adopted an order from Senator Tarr, the senator from First Essex and Middlesex, to reconvene on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. Senator Tarr then "moves that, the senate now adjourned," and the presiding speaker announced the ayes had it.

All listed roll-call tallies were not provided in the transcript; the session’s recorded votes were taken by voice and announced as "the ayes have it."