Bay State News

Traditionally, at the beginning of a new legislative session, the Massachusetts House and Senate engage in debates over new joint rules, with each chamber taking turns to go first. This year, the Senate is scheduled to initiate the debate on Wednesday, February 12. The House will follow with its own discussion at a later date. Both chambers' leaders have recently expressed their commitment to enhancing transparency in their rules.

In anticipation of these discussions, Common Cause Massachusetts, an organization advocating for good governance, released a statement acknowledging this commitment. Geoff Foster, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts, stated: “We thank House and Senate leadership for their commitment to increasing transparency as they are about to undertake the people’s business.” He added that there is hope for "further commitment to see the process through to completion" and emphasized the importance of adopting and adhering to stronger joint rules throughout the legislative session. According to Foster, such measures would lead to "greater transparency and increased public trust in the legislative process in Massachusetts."

Common Cause has been active for over 50 years in promoting transparent, accountable, and accessible government at federal, state, and local levels. In Massachusetts specifically, the organization has achieved significant progress in reinforcing Open Meeting Laws and Public Records Laws. These laws enhance public participation by allowing residents to file public records requests and attend hearings and government meetings.