Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legislative Office is responsible for coordinating gubernatorial interaction with the legislature. In fulfilling this function, it solicits and compiles advice, communicates with the General Court and its members, and records gubernatorial action on legislation sent for enactment. Legislative review files are created to support these activities. –Series currently includes files from terms of Alvan Fuller (1925-1929), Leverett Saltonstall (1939-1945), Endicott Peabody (1963-1965), John Volpe (1965-1969), Francis Sargent (1969-1975), Michael Dukakis (1975-1979), Edward King (1979-1983), Michael Dukakis (1983-1991), William Weld (1991-1997), Argeo Paul Cellucci (1997-2001), Jane Swift (2001-2003), and Mitt Romney (2003-2007); also fragmentary files from 1933, 1935, 1937.
Arrangement: 1975-2000 files Arranged chronologically by year. Arranged thereunder by bill number. Arranged thereunder by chapter number within each
Notes: Fuller and Saltonstall files transferred to Archives from Special Collections, Massachusetts State Library, Feb. 13, 1996. Boxes 13-14 (Sargent) transferred from: Massachusetts. Governor. Subject files ((M-Ar)366X) Sargent, boxes 105-106. Volpe-Sargent files:1965-1967, 1969 lacking. Dukakis (1975-1979) files also known in part as: MSD 2/901-931. Swift-Romney files (2001-2004 only)
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Legislative review files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legislative Office]
Pocket vetoes [Massachusetts Governor’s Legislative Office]
Scope and Content: Legislation passing the House and Senate of the General Court is sent for engrossing, signed by the speaker of the House and the Senate president, and forwarded to the governor for signature. A pocket veto occurs when the governor fails to sign a bill passed near the close of the session, leaving the legislature no opportunity to override this action. Pocket vetoes include the bill packet and engrossed act.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by legislative session, thereunder by bill number
Notes: Series is entered under the Governor’s Legislative Office as the unit that coordinates gubernatorial interaction with the General Court. Files from 1970-1974, 1976-1980 were transferred to Archives from Massachusetts Regulations Division
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Correspondence files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. Correspondence files are created to record all correspondence prepared by the office.
Arrangement: In three subseries
Notes: Also known as: MSD 2/506-507
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Working group subject files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. In fulfilling this function it establishes working groups to conduct inquiries on specific policy issues. Working group subject files are created to assist in such inquiries.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by term, thereunder by subject, and then alphabetically by subsidiary subject
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Judicial issue subject files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. In fulfilling this function it considers judiciary-related issues such as working conditions, compensation, and case loads. Judicial issue subject files are created to assist policy formation in these areas.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by term, thereunder alphabetically by subject or court
Notes: Scheduled as: Courts/judicial legal issue subject files
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Executive order working files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. In fulfilling this function it participates in the drafting of executive orders, administrative or policy statements issued by the governor as chief executive of the Commonwealth. Executive order working files are created to assist in such drafting.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically by term, thereunder by order number
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Legal research/issues files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. In fulfilling this function it researches and drafts legislation. Legal research/issues files are created to determine the need for new legislation or policy development.
Arrangement: In four subseries: (1) Legislation (2) Legal research (3) Crime (4) General; Arranged chronologically by term(s), thereunder by subject. Arranged within each subseries by subject
Restrictions: Evaluative, investigative, or personal information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c) and c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository
Related Catalog Records:
Office and agency legal issue subject files [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. In fulfilling this function, the office institutes, monitors, and comments on state agency-related legislation and litigation, and mediation or arbitration of intra-agency disputes, as documented in this series.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Office and agency files; Arranged chronologically by term, thereunder alphabetically by agency and arranged alphabetically by agency (2) Litigation files; arranged by case
Related Catalog Records:
Subject files of the legal counsel [Massachusetts Governor’s Legal Office]
Scope and Content: The Governor’s Legal Office advises the governor on all matters of legal concern. Duties include drafting and reviewing legislation, drafting executive orders, and reviewing extraditions and pardons. Subject files were created during the day-to-day operations of the office.
Arrangement: In four subseries
Restrictions: Evaluative/personal information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c) and c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository
Notes: MSD 2/506-507 deaccessioned from Archives, Apr. 1992. Some material transferred to: Correspondence files ((M-Ar) 1679)
Related Catalog Records:
General correspondence [Massachusetts Governor’s Personal Secretary]
Scope and Content: During the term of Endicott Peabody (1963-1965), the governor’s personal secretary managed the governor’s office in conjunction with the governor’s chief secretary and the governor’s special assistant, as documented in this series.
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