Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 53 of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1996 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of "Agency" the following definition:-

"Business day", any calendar day excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

SECTION 2. Subsection (a) of section 55 of said chapter 7, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the word "thirty", in line 2, the following word:- business.

SECTION 3. Said subsection (a) of said section 55 of said chapter 7, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following sentence:- The state auditor may extend the time for such objection for an additional period of 30 business days beyond the original 30 business days by written notice to the submitting agency stating the reason for such extension.

This Bill having been returned by the Lieutenant-Governor, Acting Governor with his objections thereto in writing (see House 5462) has been passed by the House of Representatives, the objections of the Lieutenant-Governor, Acting Governor to the contrary notwithstanding, two-thirds of the House (119 yeas to 26 nays) having agreed to pass the same.

Sent to the Senate for its action.
Thomas M. Finneran, Speaker.
Robert E. MacQueen, Clerk.

Passed by the Senate, notwithstanding the objections of the Lieutenant-Governor, Acting Governor, two-thirds of the members present (30 yeas to 6 nays) having approved the same.

Thomas F. Birmingham, President.
Edward B. O'Neill, Clerk.