Representative Don Humason



100 PERCENT IN 2009 November 21, 2009 By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. The Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives concluded formal sessions at midnight on Wednesday evening. In the House the final roll call vote was taken at about 11:20 PM. In the Senate it was closer to midnight. The Legislature now breaks for its holiday recess and will reconvene in January to begin the second year of this 2-year legislative session. Next year, 2010, is a shorter year in the legislative calendar as, by our rules, we must conclude all formal sessions by July 31. That means all bills and budgets must be acted on by the end of the session. The next fiscal year begins on July 1. People sometimes ask if the House and Senate still meet during informal sessions. The answer is yes, but typically there are very few legislators in the chambers. It’s like a skeleton crew. Some Democrat members and some Republican members, usually from the caucus leadership, are present in the chambers for informal sessions. Most items taken up during an informal session are non-controversial in nature. According to our rules it only takes one member to object to an item during an informal session to stop that bill from proceeding. In 2009 there were a total of 274 formal roll call votes taken by the House of Representatives. The first vote of the year was taken on January 14, 2009 at 3:46 PM. The last one, #274, was taken Wednesday night, November 18, 2009, at 11:20 PM. I am proud to report that I was present in the chamber to cast every one of those 274 votes, giving me another perfect roll call record. 100% in 2009! I haven’t missed a vote since 2005. As Westfield’s State Representative, I take my responsibility to represent my district in the House of Representatives very seriously. Amid all the duties and responsibilities of a lawmaker, I believe it is most important that a legislator be present for all debates and votes. It is not easy to be present, available, and accessible in my city, as I strive to be, and be in Boston for all the House sessions and committee hearings. I’m not always able to attend every committee hearing, especially since I’m on 5 committees and several are scheduled at the same time, but I still try! In 2010 America will again conduct a count of all the people in our country, as required in the United States Constitution. If you haven’t heard about Census 2010, you soon will. The newest installment of my cable show, "From the State House to Your House," will feature Melissa Trzasko, Partnership Specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau. The show this month focuses on the 2010 United States census and Melissa and I will answer many of the questions you may have about the census. I hope you will watch and enjoy the show. The half hour program airs on Westfield's Community Programming Channel, Channel 15, on Sundays at 4:30 PM, Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, and Thursdays at 10:30 AM & 10:30 PM. Thank you to all the folks who came to Boston this week to rally in support of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. I got a chance to speak with some of the people in the halls of the State House as they went through the building to lobby the Governor and legislators. I am hopeful their efforts will prevail in getting many of the outpatient services restored. Despite this being a difficult year economically, we Americans are blessed with riches unknown to many in the rest of the world. We have a proud history. We have freedom (at least for now). We have much to be thankful for. I, for one, am grateful for my job and the privilege of serving the people of Westfield as their elected Representative in Boston. I am thankful for my Chief of Staff Sarah Latour, for my wife Janice, my family and friends, and my health. I am thankful to the men and women in the United States military who protect our American way of life and for the police and firefighters, like my dad, who keep us safe. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! *** Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org
This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group

100 PERCENT IN 2009

November 21, 2009

By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

The Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives concluded formal sessions at midnight on Wednesday evening. In the House the final roll call vote was taken at about 11:20 PM. In the Senate it was closer to midnight.

The Legislature now breaks for its holiday recess and will reconvene in January to begin the second year of this 2-year legislative session. Next year, 2010, is a shorter year in the legislative calendar as, by our rules, we must conclude all formal sessions by July 31. That means all bills and budgets must be acted on by the end of the session. The next fiscal year begins on July 1.

People sometimes ask if the House and Senate still meet during informal sessions. The answer is yes, but typically there are very few legislators in the chambers. It’s like a skeleton crew. Some Democrat members and some Republican members, usually from the caucus leadership, are present in the chambers for informal sessions.

Most items taken up during an informal session are non-controversial in nature. According to our rules it only takes one member to object to an item during an informal session to stop that bill from proceeding.

In 2009 there were a total of 274 formal roll call votes taken by the House of Representatives. The first vote of the year was taken on January 14, 2009 at 3:46 PM. The last one, #274, was taken Wednesday night, November 18, 2009, at 11:20 PM. I am proud to report that I was present in the chamber to cast every one of those 274 votes, giving me another perfect roll call record. 100% in 2009! I haven’t missed a vote since 2005.

As Westfield’s State Representative, I take my responsibility to represent my district in the House of Representatives very seriously. Amid all the duties and responsibilities of a lawmaker, I believe it is most important that a legislator be present for all debates and votes.

It is not easy to be present, available, and accessible in my city, as I strive to be, and be in Boston for all the House sessions and committee hearings. I’m not always able to attend every committee hearing, especially since I’m on 5 committees and several are scheduled at the same time, but I still try!

In 2010 America will again conduct a count of all the people in our country, as required in the United States Constitution. If you haven’t heard about Census 2010, you soon will.

The newest installment of my cable show, "From the State House to Your House," will feature Melissa Trzasko, Partnership Specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau. The show this month focuses on the 2010 United States census and Melissa and I will answer many of the questions you may have about the census.

I hope you will watch and enjoy the show. The half hour program airs on Westfield's Community Programming Channel, Channel 15, on Sundays at 4:30 PM, Wednesdays at 8:30 PM, and Thursdays at 10:30 AM & 10:30 PM.

Thank you to all the folks who came to Boston this week to rally in support of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home. I got a chance to speak with some of the people in the halls of the State House as they went through the building to lobby the Governor and legislators. I am hopeful their efforts will prevail in getting many of the outpatient services restored.

Despite this being a difficult year economically, we Americans are blessed with riches unknown to many in the rest of the world. We have a proud history. We have freedom (at least for now). We have much to be thankful for.

I, for one, am grateful for my job and the privilege of serving the people of Westfield as their elected Representative in Boston. I am thankful for my Chief of Staff Sarah Latour, for my wife Janice, my family and friends, and my health. I am thankful to the men and women in the United States military who protect our American way of life and for the police and firefighters, like my dad, who keep us safe.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

***

Representative Don Humason and his Chief of Staff Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us Website: www.donhumason.org

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group