Here is your daily reminder that, just because the Democrats control everything in Beacon Hill, does not mean that they will always get along.
State Senator Jacob Oliveira, D-Hampden/Hampshire/Worcester, was remembered on Monday in the first hand when he tried to testify remotely before the legislature Mixed Consumer Protection Committee and Professional License.
The Ludlow legislator has several bills before the Committee. And on Monday, he returned to his district meeting with child care providers, according to the office of the President of the Senate, Karen Spilka.
When it was his turn to speak, the president of the group’s house, the representative Tacky Chan, the D-2nd Norfolk, cut him down, citing the rules of the house that require the members of the Committee to participate in audiences in a personalized manner, Politico reported Tuesday.
“According to House rules, the chair does not recognize the members of the Committee who are not physically here in person,” said Chan, by Quincy, According to State House News Service. “As a result … the chair does not recognize Senator Oliveira.”
A little context: the two chambers continue to cause joint operational rules governing the flow of legislation between the two parts of the State House.
While the House and the Senate have agreed each of its own internal rules, they still have to reach an agreement on this key piece of the exchange wheels.
The negotiators will meet again on Thursday, according to state news service.
Senator Pabel Payano, D-1st Essex, President of the Senate of the Committee, protested, accusing his companions in the house of violating the “sacred principle that no voice could be silenced in democracy,” said Filferro’s service.
Oliveira was the same as leaving his components in Belchertown, Palmer, Wilbraham, Longmeadow, South Hadley, Warren, Hampden, Springfield, Granby, East Longmeadow and Ludlow, Payano continued.
“I think this is a traveler,” Payano said, according to state news service. “You are telling the whole community that their concerns are not welcome here. It is not a matter of procedural equity. For me, I find discriminatory. You know, people in Western Mass, are not the same as people closest to Boston.”
Payano then read the testimony that Oliveira had prepared to deliver.
Chan, who said he understood “there are complications for some people,” reiterated the chamber’s position that legislators should testify in person.
The Committee accumulated severe reconstruction of Spilka, who called the power of the “deeply worrying” house.
“The joint rules that the House and the Senate agreed mutually in January do not prohibit remote participation and the idea that the rules of a branch can link joint committees are without merit,” said Spilka.
Ashland Democrat said he could “assume personally [Sen.] Oliveira’s hard work and dedication to his district, his components and the Senate. I thank you for serving widely this morning. “
It wasn’t the end of the drama of the day.
On Monday, the Chamber announced that it had reached an agreement on a short -term financing bill to keep the Agency open to the state employees.
The Senate went up to date without assuming quite urgent legislation, saying that he would do it on Thursday.