Scope and Content: Any citizen or group of citizens in Massachusetts may petition the General Court for legislative action on any subject.  Such a petition is endorsed by a member of the legislature for presentation to the General Court, where through the legislative process it is unpassed or passed, subject to the governor’s approval or veto.  Bills that fail to pass in the Senate are filed with the Senate clerk for one year. –Senate unpassed legislation includes bills, amendments and substitutions, and constitutional amendments.  Series also includes resolutions and orders (whether or not passed); also petitions, gubernatorial messages, annual reports, special reports, communications, recommendations, and authorizations for wire taps.  Documents are those with final Senate disposition, even when of House origin.  Vetoed bills not overridden are included; pocket vetoes are included for 1965-1969 only–for others see record for: Massachusetts. Governor’s Legislative Office. Pocket vetoes ((M-Ar)459X) –Earlier and additional Revolutionary files are found in: Massachusetts archives collection ((M-Ar)45X), especially v. 180-188: Revolution petitions, 1775-1783. –Bill packets for proposed legislation containing petitions relating to slavery removed from original sequence for digitization and now stored separately.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by legislative year (biennially since 1995- 1996), thereunder by disposition
Restrictions: Some access restrictions apply
Notes: St 1939, c 508, s 3 (amending St 1844, c 153) places custody of clerk’s files with the state secretary after the legislative year
Related Catalog Records:

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