Steering and Policy Committee, Massachusetts State Senate
The Steering and Policy Committee is a standing committee of the Massachusetts State Senate. Per Senate Rule 12, the committee is made up of five members.[1]
Massachusetts on 
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Per Senate Rules 12 and 13, committees of the Massachusetts State Senate are assigned by the President of the Senate, with the exception of minority members, who are assigned by the Minority Leader.[2] After the adoption of Senate rules at the beginning of each two-year session, the committees are appointed to serve for the entire session. The President is to give consideration to partisan balance in making appointments, and is required to allocate at least three seats on the Ways and Means Committee, two seats on the Ethics and Rules Committees, and at least one seat on all other standing or special committees, to members of the minority party. The President shall nominate the chair of each committee, and the vice-chair and assistant vice-chair of the Ways and Means Committee, subject to a majority vote of the respective party caucus. Should a nominee be blocked, the President shall nominate another candidate for confirmation. In the event of a special order by the Senate to appoint a committee by ballot, the person receiving the most votes shall be named chair, with the runner-up being named vice-chair.[2] Any vacancies that have occurred in any committees after members have been appointed will be filled following the same rules.[3]
See rules: Rules of the Senate
Function
| “ | It shall be the duty of the committee on Steering and Policy to assist the President and the Senate in identifying the major matters which require consideration by the General Court during the current legislative session and to advise the President and the Senate on the relative priority of such matters, the relative urgency for consideration by the General Court of such matters, alternative methods of responding to such matters by the General Court and such other matters as may be referred thereto.[4][5] | ” |
Membership
2023-2024 legislative session
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Steering and Policy Committee, 2023-2024 |
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| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | Third-party members(0) |
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2021-2022 legislative session
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Steering and Policy Committee, 2021-2022 |
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| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | Third-party members(0) |
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2019-2020 legislative session
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Steering and Policy Committee, 2019-2020 |
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|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | Third-party members(0) |
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2017 legislative session
The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2017 legislative session.
| Steering and Policy Members, 2017 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | |||
| • Eileen Donoghue, Chair | • Bruce Tarr | |||
| • John Keenan, Vice chair | ||||
| • James Eldridge | ||||
| • Cynthia Stone Creem | ||||
2015 legislative session
The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2015 legislative session.
| Steering and Policy Members, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | |||
| • Dan Wolf, Chair | • Bruce Tarr | |||
| • Jason Lewis, Vice chair | ||||
| • Sonia Chang-Diaz | ||||
| • Kathleen O'Connor Ives | ||||
2013-2014
The following table describes committee membership at the beginning of the 2013 legislative session.
| Steering and Policy Members, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | |||
| • Katherine Clark, Chair | • Bruce Tarr | |||
| • Harriette Chandler, Vice chair | ||||
| • Mark Montigny | ||||
| • Karen Spilka | ||||
2011-2012
The following table describes committee membership for the 2011 legislative session.
| Steering and Policy Members, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic members (4) | Republican members (1) | |||
| • Jennifer Flanagan, Chair | • Bruce Tarr | |||
| • Richard T. Moore, Vice chair | ||||
| • Steven Tolman | ||||
| • Harriette Chandler | ||||
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Massachusetts General Court, "Rules of the Senate," accessed March 4, 2021 (Rule 12)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Massachusetts General Court, "Senate Rules," accessed March 4, 2021(Rules 12, 13A and 13B)
- ↑ Massachusetts General Court, "Senate Rules," accessed March 4, 2021(Rule 13C)
- ↑ Massachusetts General Court, "Senate Committee on Steering and Policy," accessed January 16, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
