Representative Don Humason



By State Representative Don Humason, Jr. January 6, 2007 Happy New Year! Although the calendar turned over to the start of a new year, the end of the 2005-2006 Legislative session didn't officially end until midnight on Tuesday, January 2. That's because, according to our rules, the new Legislative session after the most recent state election begins on the first Wednesday of January. In this case it was Wednesday, January 3, 2007. On the final day of the old session, the House and Senate met in a Constitutional Convention and, much to my surprise, took a straight, so to speak, vote on the question of whether to advance the citizens' initiative amendment to the state constitution defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Twenty five percent of the Convention needed to vote in the affirmative to move the question forward to the next session. That's 50 members out of the 200. The final vote was 62 yeas to 134 neas. This week was filled with pomp and circumstance. The members of the House of Representatives and Senate were sworn in at separate State House ceremonies Wednesday. Governor Mitt Romney administered the oaths to us. Perhaps you have wondered what we say when we take our oath of office. Under the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth and of the United States of America, every person chosen or appointed to any office, civil or military, before he enters on the duties of his office, is required to take and subscribe the following oath: I, Donald F. Humason, Jr., do solemnly swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will support the Constitution thereof. So help me God. I, Donald F. Humason, Jr., do solemnly swear and affirm, that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me as State Representative: according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably, to the rules and regulations of the Constitution, and the laws of the Commonwealth. So help me God. I, Donald F. Humason, Jr., do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. That's it. That's all we say. But as I stood with my right hand raised, reciting those words on the floor of the House of Representatives, surrounded by my colleagues, I couldn't help but be awed by the solemn and powerful pledge we were making. It is a duty and a responsibility I do not take lightly. There were 17 new House members being sworn in that day. 16 are Democrats. 1 is a Republican. I still remember vividly my swearing in when I was a freshman legislator in January 2003. Wow, time flies. The members also re-elected Salvatore DiMasi as their Speaker of the House and Bradley H. Jones, Jr. as the Republican Leader. Governor Romney on Wednesday afternoon took the traditional "lonely walk" as he left his office for the last time, making way for Governor-elect Deval L. Patrick who was sworn in on Thursday at a ceremony that, breaking with tradition, was held outside the State House on the front steps. I was in attendance at the new governor's swearing in ceremony. His oath and the oath taken by the Lieutenant Governor are very similar to the words we spoke a day before. Governor Patrick and Lt. Governor Murray have a series of statewide inaugural events scheduled this week across Massachusetts, including a "Regional Celebration" in Springfield Saturday night. Over the next few weeks, at the start of the 2007-2008 legislative session, members will be assigned to their offices and committees. The bill-filing deadline for the 185th biennium of the General Court of Massachusetts is next week. The State House is always buzzing with movement and activity but this time of year is even more frenetic than usual. I will be making some moves in the building as well. Tell you more about them next week! Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us
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By State Representative Don Humason, Jr.

January 6, 2007

Happy New Year!

Although the calendar turned over to the start of a new year, the end of the 2005-2006 Legislative session didn't officially end until midnight on Tuesday, January 2.

That's because, according to our rules, the new Legislative session after the most recent state election begins on the first Wednesday of January. In this case it was Wednesday, January 3, 2007.

On the final day of the old session, the House and Senate met in a Constitutional Convention and, much to my surprise, took a straight, so to speak, vote on the question of whether to advance the citizens' initiative amendment to the state constitution defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Twenty five percent of the Convention needed to vote in the affirmative to move the question forward to the next session. That's 50 members out of the 200. The final vote was 62 yeas to 134 neas.

This week was filled with pomp and circumstance. The members of the House of Representatives and Senate were sworn in at separate State House ceremonies Wednesday. Governor Mitt Romney administered the oaths to us.

Perhaps you have wondered what we say when we take our oath of office. Under the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth and of the United States of America, every person chosen or appointed to any office, civil or military, before he enters on the duties of his office, is required to take and subscribe the following oath:

I, Donald F. Humason, Jr., do solemnly swear, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will support the Constitution thereof. So help me God.

I, Donald F. Humason, Jr., do solemnly swear and affirm, that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me as State Representative: according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably, to the rules and regulations of the Constitution, and the laws of the Commonwealth. So help me God.

I, Donald F. Humason, Jr., do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

That's it. That's all we say. But as I stood with my right hand raised, reciting those words on the floor of the House of Representatives, surrounded by my colleagues, I couldn't help but be awed by the solemn and powerful pledge we were making. It is a duty and a responsibility I do not take lightly.

There were 17 new House members being sworn in that day. 16 are Democrats. 1 is a Republican. I still remember vividly my swearing in when I was a freshman legislator in January 2003. Wow, time flies. The members also re-elected Salvatore DiMasi as their Speaker of the House and Bradley H. Jones, Jr. as the Republican Leader.

Governor Romney on Wednesday afternoon took the traditional "lonely walk" as he left his office for the last time, making way for Governor-elect Deval L. Patrick who was sworn in on Thursday at a ceremony that, breaking with tradition, was held outside the State House on the front steps.

I was in attendance at the new governor's swearing in ceremony. His oath and the oath taken by the Lieutenant Governor are very similar to the words we spoke a day before. Governor Patrick and Lt. Governor Murray have a series of statewide inaugural events scheduled this week across Massachusetts, including a "Regional Celebration" in Springfield Saturday night.

Over the next few weeks, at the start of the 2007-2008 legislative session, members will be assigned to their offices and committees. The bill-filing deadline for the 185th biennium of the General Court of Massachusetts is next week. The State House is always buzzing with movement and activity but this time of year is even more frenetic than usual.

I will be making some moves in the building as well. Tell you more about them next week!

Representative Don Humason and his new aide Sarah Latour may be reached at their Westfield District office, 64 Noble Street, Westfield, MA 01085, 568-1366. Their Boston address is State House Room 542, Boston, MA 02133, (617) 722-2803. Email address: Rep.DonaldHumason@Hou.state.ma.us

This Site Designed and Maintained by: The Barre Group