Just a reminder to any MA residents: Monday November 27th, we'll need you to
contact your Senator again. Hopefully, this will be the last time you'll
need to do this.
What we hope will occur is House Bill 295 will get passed thru the Senate
for its final enactment.
Heres what will happen (if all goes well) according to the handout Lawmaking
in Massachusetts, it is a publication the Secretary of State prints out.
Vote "to enact". A vote to enact the bill, first in the House and later in
the Senate, is the final step in the passage of a bill by the legislature.
(NOTE: We've passed thru the house, now we're in the Senate).
Bill sent to governor. Following enactment, the bill goes to the governor,
who may sign the bill into law, allow it to become law without signing it
(if the governor holds the bill for ten days without taking any action while
the legislature is in session, it becomes law without his or her signature),
veto it, or return it to the legislature with recommended changes. If the
legislature has concluded its yearly session, and the governor does not sign
the bill within ten days, it dies. This is referred to as a "pocket veto".
The ten-day period includes every day except Sundays and holidays, and it
begins the day after the legislation is laid on the governors desk.
Effectivness. A bill signed by the governor, or passed by two-thirds of
both branches over his veto, becomes a law. It is usually effective in
ninety days. The day after the governor signs the bill is considered to be
the first day, and each succeeding day, including Sundays and holidays, is
counted until the ninetieth.
Emergency Bills. Laws considered "emergency" in nature take effect
immediately upon signing if the legislature has voted to attach an
"emergency preamble" to the bill. Adoption of the preamble requires a
two-thirds standing vote of the membership. (NOTE: We have no emergency
preamble on our bill for several reasons).
Special Acts. The governor may also delcare an act to be an emergency law
and make it effective at once. A special act takes effect thirty days from
the day it is signed, unless it contains a provision to make it effective
immediately.
What does this all mean to us? Well, we've made it through the House for
its final enactment. We are awaiting the Senate to enact it. Once this is
done (we're hoping this will occur tomorrow), it will go to the Governor for
his signature. Gov. Weld we are hoping will sign the bill, we have no
indications as of yet that he won't. If he chooses, he could veto it, sign
it or send it back i.e., for rewording, etc. We just don't know. If this
occurs, Gov. Weld will receive our Petition, with almost 2,000 signatures
on it, Jean Carlys 1996 Ferret Calendar, and our cover letter. Rep. Jones
also did a letter requesting that after the bill is signed to have a
"signing ceremony with the Governor. What we will do is try to get a
picture of Gov. Weld with "ferret owners" here in MA. Won't that look
great on his buddy California Governor Pete Wilsons desk?
Okay, again, if you could call your Senator tomorrow (Monday) and ask them
again to pass House Bill 295 (the Ferret Bill). Please, if you do not know
who your Senator is, e-mail me and I'll get the name and number for you.
Just need your city/town. (MA Residents Only Please).
Keep checking your e-mail throughout the day. Especially, between 11AM and
12PM. Usually they meet at 11AM, then throughout the afternoon. Also, keep
calling the Ferret Hotline (617) 224-1098 for updates on the bill and what
you'll need to do next. Please do not leave messages on the hotline unless
you have an emergency. I'd like to keep that line clear so people can get
through to get their instructions.
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, AND THANKS A MILLION FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!!! I hope the
next message I send out to everyone is the date of the Ferret Freedom
Liberation Day!!!
For the ferrets,
Sharon Burbine
Mass Friends of the Domestic Ferret Group
[Posted in FML issue 1391]
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