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BOSTON - State
Representative Harold P. Naughton, Jr. joined
his colleagues in the Massachusetts House of
Representatives in unanimously passing House
rules designed to promote accountability,
transparency and efficiency.
“I believe
these rules moved in a constructive direction
toward implementing more openness and
transparency in the new legislative
session,” said Representative Harold P.
Naughton, Jr. “I hope to see improvements
that will profit the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.”
“These rules
signal our continued commitment to making the
House a more transparent, effective body,”
House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo said. “The
rules, which drew bipartisan support, will
help facilitate the legislative process while
ensuring that we conduct the people’s
business in an open manner.”
The rules
include a provision requiring a comprehensive
procurement process for any House procurement
in excess of $50,000. The bill also allows for
public review of any House procurement or
contract in excess of $5,000.
The rules also
state that the House’s financial accounts
will be subjected to an independent audit at
the end of each fiscal year. Another provision
requires that roll calls remain open for a
minimum of five minutes if the roll call
coincides with a committee hearing.
This
session’s rules build on last session’s
landmark rules reform package – enacted at
the onset of Speaker DeLeo’s speakership –
which limited the Speaker’s term to a
maximum of eight years, instituted mandatory
ethics training and allowed the Speaker to
unilaterally remove a member from a leadership
position or committee if they receive a
criminal indictment. |
