Massachusetts State Legislature wrapped up their 2023-2024 term early Tuesday morning after exceeding 14 hours of continuous sessions. Lawmakers opted to complete their business with almost a day to spare, sending dozens of bills to Governor Maura Healey for her consideration. The next term begins Wednesday morning with a new group of legislators.
Legislative leaders had the option of adjourning Monday and meeting again on Tuesday, the final day allotted for the term, but opted to plow through business Monday night into Tuesday morning and then call it a wrapTop Democrats needed a few extra months to reach agreements on major laws this session, but wrapped up business for the term with almost a day to spare and New Year's Eve plans intact.
The branches adjourned Tuesday"sine die," a Latin phrase used by legislative bodies to indicate they have no plans to return. The House adjourned at 1:11 a.m. and the Senate called it quits at 1:25 a.m. Healey has largely agreed to the Legislature's agenda and her choices will trickle out in the coming days. The governor will be on Beacon Hill on Wednesday, when she will swear in legislators for the 2025-2026 cycle.
Unlike in prior terms, however, the bills that were not complete by that date did not die. Top Democrats eventually reached agreement and pushed through nine different accords after Aug. 1, some of which received votes during election season -- a practice that legislative predecessors sought to avoid with that July 31 cutoff.
Outside of a few health care-related speeches in the Senate, there was little debate -- or even participation of any kind -- to mark the final action of the term. Both chambers had only a handful of lawmakers in attendance to steer through the dozens of late-moving bills, and the sessions were marbled with long periods of inactivity while staff worked behind the scenes to dot the i's and cross the t's.
Massachusetts Legislature Governor Healey Legislative Adjournment New Term Bills
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