The Honorable Ron Mariano
Speaker of the House 
State House Room 356

The Honorable William Galvin
Chair, House Committee on Rules

State House Room 166

Thursday, November 12, 2026 

The Honorable Karen Spilka
Senate President

State House Room 332

The Honorable Joan Lovely
Chair, Senate Committee on Rules

State House Room 413-D

Dear Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka, Chair Galvin, and Chair Lovely: 

At the start of the 194th session of the Massachusetts General Court, you promised new reforms in the transparency of the legislative process. 

We commend you for many of the reforms adopted in the Joint Rules passed last summer, such as publishing committee votes, making committee testimony available to the public, posting bill summaries, and increasing the notice for hearings. These reforms all help the public better engage in the public process and help legislators to better do their jobs. 

Although we celebrate the wins in transparency achieved, the new Rules package was not without loopholes and shortcomings. Committees vary greatly in their compliance with the new rules, committees have been able to run out the clock on legislation without ever taking a vote due to House Rule 27, and significant legislative business has been pushed past the end of formal session—a problem from last session normalized in the new system. 

In several months, your chambers will work on new Rules again, and they should reflect robust input from the public. To your credit, the Rules adopted last summer indicate an interest in such feedback. Section 34 of the Joint Rules states: 

The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall conduct a comprehensive review of the joint rules adopted by the Senate and the House of Representatives after the first day of August of the second annual session.  The committees on Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently, shall conduct a public hearing and solicit testimony from the public and other interested parties. The chair of the committees on Rules of their respective branch may submit a report to their respective branch at the conclusion of their review by no later than the last day of December of the second annual session.

We write to inquire about when such a hearing will be held. A public hearing on the new Joint Rules would offer an important opportunity for residents of the Commonwealth to make their voices heard, to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the rules as implemented in this session, and to work toward the goal of a truly transparent and accountable legislative process. 

Sincerely, 

Act on Mass

Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts

Progressive Massachusetts 

Boston Catholic Climate Movement

Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative

FCCPR Climate Crisis Task Force

Food & Water Watch

Greater Boston Physicians for Social Organization

Mass-Care: the Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care

Save Massachusetts Forests

Sierra Club Massachusetts

Third Act MA

Unitarian Universalist Mass Action