Page:A Brief History of the Constitution and Government of Massachusetts (1925).pdf/113



To become law a measure has to pass through three readings in each branch of the Legislature; it must be engrossed and enacted in each, and then must be signed by the Governor, or left for five days without his signature, or vetoed within the required period and passed over his veto.

When one looks at the Massachusetts "blue books" which are issued yearly with their mass of laws general and special, one seldom pauses to reflect on the hearings, debates, readings and contests which must have taken place, and upon the general machinery that had to be set in motion before these matters were in shape to be put in the statute book. The fact that the Legislature sits for many months each year and steadily grinds out laws, is of course common knowledge. But if the average citizen wanted to get an idea enacted into law, would he know how to go about it? He would probably consult a lawyer. This lawyer would undoubtedly know the method of procedure by which to set the ball rolling, but unless he had been at some time in the State government or had special experience with legislation he would scarcely know how to draw a petition and accompanying bill in scientific form. For instance, very few realize the value of making the petition as broad as possible. Since each petition must, under the rules, be accompanied by a bill, the phrase commonly used in a petition is to ask "for legislation according to the accompanying bill." Generally speaking, nothing could be more unwise than this.