MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE 101 2019-2020 The ACLU of Massachusetts works in the state legislature to pass laws that will protect and THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION expand our civil liberties. Massachusetts has a two year legislative session. The current session began in January 2019. THE BASICS At the beginning of each session, bills are filed The Massachusetts legislature is made up of the and assigned to a committee. Senate and House of Representatives. The committees hold hearings and decide Every resident is represented by one state whether the bills will be voted on by the whole senator and one state representative. That chamber (“floor vote”). means there are a total of 40 senators and 160 representatives. You can find your legislators here:https:// KEY DATES malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator Dates to remember: January 1, 2019 LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP Formal session begins February 5, 2020 The House and Senate leadership set the tone Deadline to move bills out of first committee and agenda for the legislative session. July 31, 2020 Senate President Karen Spilka Last day of formal sessions Ashland (D) | @KarenSpilka Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem Newton (D) | @cindycreem TAKE ACTION Fight for the future of freedom with the ACLU Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Massachusetts. Gloucester (R) | @SenBruceTarr Learn about our legislative priorities: Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo aclum.org/legislative Winthop (D) | @SpeakerDeLeo Volunteer with the ACLU of Massachusetts: House Majority Leader Ronald Mariano aclum.org/volunteer Quincy (D) | @RonMariano Sign up for emails and action alerts: House Minority Leader Bradley Jones aclum.org/updates North Reading (R) | @RepBradJones LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACLU OF MASSACHUSETTS: ACLUM.ORG.