3 ms·
It's scheduled for a hearing on the 22nd of this month, so any of you in Massachusetts who happen to be represented by him should feel free to use the rights gr
by kick 7y ago
It's scheduled for a hearing on the 22nd of this month, so any of you in Massachusetts who happen to be represented by him should feel free to use the rights granted to you under the First Amendment to let him (his office) know what his constituents think:
Electronic Mail: Daniel.Hunt@mahouse.gov
Actual Mail:
24 Beacon St.
Room 166
Boston, MA, 02133
Phone: (617) 722-2692
However, do realize that Massachusetts has the right to free petition, which means that legislators are obligated to put forth proposed legislation from their constituents, and that is what this falls under, apparently.
Per The Washington Post:
In Massachusetts, unlike other states, citizens have what’s known as a “right of free petition” allowing them to file proposed bills directly through their legislators. That’s exactly what happened in this case, Hunt said: A woman in his district came to him this year requesting legislation, and he, in turn, filed it on her behalf. He didn’t think he’d get such a harsh reaction, he said.
“It’s funny and ironic that the constitutional provision that allows this constituent a conduit to free speech and proposing her idea has been so viscerally pushed back on by people saying this is stifling free speech,” Hunt told The Washington Post. “It’s important whether you agree or disagree with the legislation being proposed that you honor the duty to represent your constituents and have their voices heard.”
- fortran77 7y agoWhat could have made the constituent so moved to propose this legislation?
- anigbrowl 7y agoInteresting that you choose to invalidate the proponent by means of a false allegation. Do you get called a liar a lot?
- Rebelgecko 7y agoThat right of free petition is... interesting. Is it just not well known? It seems like there's enough crazy and/or bored people out there that they could totally clog up the legislature.
- kick 7y agoMassachusetts has historically seen many questionable (and fantastic) things voted on because of it. For a better explanation of how it works, see here: https://massbar.org/advocacy/legislative-activities/the-legislative-process https://massbar.org/advocacy/legislative-activities/the-legi...
- loeg 7y agoI'd lead with the free petition bit. It's honestly more interesting (to me, and I'd guess other people in states that don't have that concept) and if people who don't read that far, the early part of the comment seems like a call for pitchforks. That's not necessary here; this won't pass in any event, and even if it were to be, would subsequently be struck down by the courts.
- kevin_b_er 7y agoIt was scheduled last month. This is the 11th month of the calendar year. We've heard no results from that public hearing on Oct 22, but it would appear nothing will happen until an executive session which will make recommendations based on this public hearing. We can consider it a good thing that regular people can submit bills, even if ones like this are likely to be rejected by the committee as unconstitutional.