1. Bill Filing: Legislation may be filed by House and Senate members or the Governor, with a deadline for legislators on the third Friday in January. Late files need approval from the rules committees and a two-thirds vote.
2. Joint Committee Hearing: Joint Committees hold public hearings and issue a report on each bill, typically by the first Wednesday in February of the second session year.
3. Bill Readings: Each bill undergoes three readings in both chambers:
   • First Reading: The bill and its committee report are introduced.
   • Second Reading: The bill is debated; a vote is taken to proceed to the third reading.
   • Third Reading: Final debate and vote occur; the bill is then engrossed.
4. Engrossment: After approval, the bill is sent to the other chamber to undergo the same reading process.
5. Conference Committee: If there are discrepancies between versions, a temporary conference committee resolves them and presents a report for approval.
6. Enactment: After both chambers approve the bill, it is voted on for enactment. Some bills may require a two-thirds majority at this stage.
7. The Governor: The Governor may:
   • Sign the bill (it becomes law after 90 days or immediately if marked as an emergency).
   • Veto the bill, which can be overridden by a two-thirds vote.
   • Choose not to sign, allowing it to become law if the legislature is in session.
   • Return with recommendations for changes, allowing for further amendments.
   • Line-item veto appropriations within spending bills.
8. Session Types: The legislature can meet in formal sessions (taking votes) or informal sessions (voice votes on non-controversial matters).
9. Effective Date of Legislation: Generally 90 days after the governor's signature; emergency laws take effect immediately.

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Massachusetts in several ways: 1. Requesting Bill Filings: Citizens may ask their legislators to file bills "by request." Although these bills do not necessarily have the support of the legislators who file them, this is a way for the public to propose legislation. 2. Attending Joint Committee Hearings: Joint Committees hold hearings on bills, and these hearings are open to the public. Interested individuals can attend and address the committee to express their opinions on the bill. Public participation is invited, although the committee chair may limit speaking time. 3. Engaging with Legislators: Members of the public can contact their elected representatives to discuss issues, express support for or against bills, and advocate for specific legislative changes. This engagement can take place through emails, phone calls, or personal meetings. 4. Following Legislative Sessions: Citizens can stay informed about legislative activities by tracking bills and meetings, which are typically held in formal and informal formats. They can watch debates and discussions about the bills they are interested in. 5. Participating in Bill Readings: Members of the public can follow the process of readings of bills in the House and Senate and observe the discussions and votes that occur during these sessions. 6. Advocating for Legislation: Individuals can join advocacy groups that align with their interests, which often work to promote specific legislation and influence lawmakers.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Massachusetts every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
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1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.