Page:A Brief History of the Constitution and Government of Massachusetts (1925).pdf/117

 requested it requires unanimous consent to suspend the rule. The rule does not apply to petitions in support of legislation or remonstrances against legislation already pending, nor in certain other cases of an unusual nature. Nor does it apply to what I shall call a fourth method of getting laws passed. This is to base legislative proposals on some recommendation in a message of the Governor, or some report of one of the State officers, or of one of the boards or commissions or departments of the State, or of a committee or commission that has been appointed to sit and report to the General Court. Recommendations contained in a message or in the reports of these departments, boards or commissions, form a basis on which a bill or resolve can be put before the Legislature by the committee to which these documents are referred. These reports are supposed to be on hand when the Legislature meets, but they very seldom get in until some time later, and of course the Governor can send in a message at any time during the session.

Requests for legislation under the first three methods coming in after five o'clock of the second Saturday are referred under the rule to the Committee on Rules. This committee sits and hears the reasons why the proposals for legislation were not filed in time. If the excuse seems sufficient or the matter is of great importance the committee may vote to recommend suspension of the rules, and the House or Senate, whichever branch it may be that has the question under consideration, usually follows such repeat.

Motions to suspend the ninth Joint Rule must also go to the Committee on Rules. The ninth Joint Rule provides that petitions asking for certain legislation like the incorporation of a town or city, of a railroad of street railway, canal