Joint Committee onEnvironment, Natural Resources and Agriculture

Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture
State House,  473F, Boston, MA 02133-1053

1. Public Hearings
   
1. All bills assigned to the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture shall be scheduled for a public hearing, by the Committee Chairs except as herein provided.  Upon mutual agreement, the Committee Chairs may agree to discharge bills assigned to the Committee or otherwise dispose of bills assigned to the Committee by electronic or voice poll.
2. The Senate Chair and House Chair shall agree between themselves who will chair each hearing.  In the absence of both Chairpersons, the Vice Chair present or a Committee member designated by a Chair shall conduct the hearing.
3. All Persons testifying before the Committee shall furnish the following information to the Committee:
1. Name
2. Organization
3. Address
4. Telephone number
5. Bill number and subject matter on which the person is testifying
6. Whether proponent or opponent of the subject matter or bill.
4. The presiding Chair, or acting presiding member (hereafter “the Chair”), shall use his or her discretion in scheduling the order in which proposals shall be heard at any public hearing or executive session of the Committee.
5. No one shall be allowed to speak at any meeting without first being recognized by the Chair.  The Chair shall use discretion in setting a time limit for oral testimony.  All questions by members of the Committee to persons testifying before the Committee shall be addressed through the Chair and shall be pertinent to the subject matter before the Committee.  The Chair may limit the number of questions and the amount of questions and time allowed each member.
6. Each member of the committee will receive, electronically, a schedule of the public hearings on legislation referred to the committee.  The schedule will group legislation by category, noting the hearing date, time and location.  Each member of the committee will be notified electronically of any public hearing or executive session at least 48  hours prior to the meeting date, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.
   
2. Executive Session
   
1. Executive sessions may be scheduled after each public hearing and at other appropriate times.  Whenever an executive session is held at a time other than on the day of a public hearing, each member of the Committee shall be furnished with adequate advance notice (Part A, Par.6) of the date, time, place and subject of such executive session.
2. No executive session may be held in the absence of either Committee Chair, except by mutual agreement of both Chairs.  The Chair presiding will have general supervision of the executive session.
3. All executive sessions of the Committee shall be open to the public unless the Committee, in accordance with Joint Rule 1A, votes to close such sessions.
4. A majority vote of the members present at the executive session shall constitute the recommendations of the Committee.
5. Any member of the Committee shall have the right to be recorded as dissenting from or abstaining from the Committee recommendation provided that the Committee Chairs have been informed of this desire by the end of the executive session.
6. Upon a motion made by any member of the Committee in attendance at an executive session and seconded by another member of the Committee in attendance, a poll of the full Committee shall be taken to determine the recommendation of the full Committee on any specific matter before said Committee.  In the event that a poll is taken the members shall be given 24 hours to respond to the poll.  The votes of the majority of those members responding to the poll shall constitute the recommendation of the committee.  
7. Whenever an electronic poll is to be taken, the Committee members shall be notified electronically 48 hours in advance, with the date, time and subject matter, of such poll; and, the Committee members shall be given at least 24 hours to respond to an electronic poll. The votes of the majority responding to an electronic poll shall constitute the recommendations of the Committee. The Committee Chairs shall determine the form of any electronic poll and may waive any notice requirement for such polls.
8. The Committee Chairs shall determine the branch of the Legislature to which a report or redraft shall be sent.
   
3. Adoptions and Suspensions
   
1. These rules shall be adopted by a majority vote of Committee members present and voting.
2. Except for Part B, Par.2, any rule may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of Committee members present and voting.