BOSTON — Traditionally, at the start of a new legislative session, the House and Senate debate new joint rules and the bodies alternate which chamber goes first. This session the Senate will go first and has scheduled debate on rules for tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 12. The House will debate at a later date. Both the Speaker of the House and the Senate President have recently committed to increased transparency for rules. Ahead of the debate on rules, Common Cause Massachusetts, a good government group, issued the following statement:

“We thank House and Senate leadership for their commitment to increasing transparency as they are about to undertake the people’s business,” said Geoff Foster, Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “As the House and Senate prepare to debate transparency rules reforms, we hope that there will be further commitment to see the process through to completion, to adopt joint rules for this legislation session, and to adhere to them throughout the full session. Stronger rules will ensure greater transparency and increased public trust in the legislative process in Massachusetts.”

For over 50 years, Common Cause has focused on ensuring our federal, state, and local governments are transparent, accountable, and accessible to the public. Common Cause Massachusetts in particular has secured wins to strengthen our state’s Open Meeting Laws and Public Records Laws to strengthen transparency and access. These important laws improve public participation and access to government,  allowing residents to file public records requests, watch hearings and government meetings, and ensure all community members can make their voices heard.

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