The key thing is just enforcing the rules we have now. That's incumbent upon the members. Reform-minded activists this year will issue citations to legislators who they feel are blocking the flow of bills on Beacon Hill, while bestowing awards upon those who work to decentralize the power bases in the House and Senate. Director Barbara Anderson said the new traffic reports will make the traditionally dry topic of rules reform more compelling. CLT has formally joined seven other public interest groups that have decided to make rules reforms a top priority as a new legislative session begins on Beacon Hill.
Taxpayers are better off with an open, accountable process.
We'll let them know if their representatives pass or fail the democracy test. The activists were not joined at their press conference by any legislators interested in advancing their slate of reforms, but maintained that there is growing support among legislators for changes intended to empower individual lawmakers and make the legislative process easier to understand and follow for ordinary citizens. Offered moments after the Senate finished its biennial rules debate, the reforms were presented too late for inclusion in that branch's discussion of operations. During that short debate, senators adopted a package of amendments aimed at speeding the Upper Branch's progress down the Information Superhighway. The new rules require every senator to have an email address, bills and orders to be filed electronically with the clerks, online bill texts, live webcasting of formal Senate sessions, and the electronic filing and posting of budget amendments.