The House took up 58 bills: 23 together on the consent calendar, then 35 one by one, listed below by bill.
Granite Record indexes the General Court’s record; it is not that record. Where a citation allows only one source, cite the General Court — every page here links to what it is drawn from. The date below is the day the page was read.
@misc{session-H-1998-03-19,
title = {The House, Thursday, March 19, 1998},
howpublished = {Granite Record},
url = {https://graniterecord.org/session/H/1998-03-19},
note = {Accessed 19 Oct. 2026}
}The House assembled at 10:00 AM, a prayer was offered and Rep. Kenneth MacDonald led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The journal records 26 members as having leave of the House for the day, that is, permission to be away. A member on leave may still have voted on part of the day, and the roll call record does not always agree with the journal about who was excused.
Rep. Alukonis, Rep. Bishop, Rep. Blanchard, Rep. Patricia Cote, Rep. Dowd, Rep. Ferguson, Rep. John Flanders, Rep. Robert Foster, Rep. Guest, Rep. Healy, Rep. Larrabee, Rep. Lyman, Rep. Major, Rep. O'Rourke, Rep. Marsha Pelletier, Rep. Pepino, Rep. Rubin, Rep. Simmons, Rep. Brian Taylor Rep. Trelfa, Rep. Carol Williams, Rep. Carney, Rep. Horton, Rep. Krueger, Rep. Piteri, Rep. Irene Pratt
The record does not say what order these came in: the journal page is cited on only a few of them, so they are listed by bill.
Suspend the Rules (Set a rule aside; needs two thirds)
Motion Passed: Rules Suspended
Moved by Rep. Wheeler & Burling.
In the record: Suspend Rules (on 03/12/1998) for rept date 05/13/1998
House Local and Regulated Revenues recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 15–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed 226–50 on a division
Spoke for the motionRep. Noyes
Spoke against the motionRep. Dodge
House Local and Regulated Revenues recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 15–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed on a voice vote
House Commerce recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 16–0.
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
House Resources, Recreation and Development recommended Interim Study (IS), 15–0.
Interim Study (IS, Study the bill after the session)
Motion Passed: Sent to Interim Study on a voice vote
In the record: Refer for Interim Study
House Wildlife and Marine Resources recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 9–1; a minority, Interim Study (IS).
Adopt the Floor Amendment (Change the bill from the floor)
Motion Failed 144–177 on a roll call
Moved by Rep. Abbott.
In the record: Adopt Floor Amendment 1125
Spoke for the motionRep. Peter Lovett
Spoke against the motionRep. Carlson, Rep. Mock
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass (OTP), 9–6.
Ought to Pass (OTP, Pass the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed on a voice vote
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 12–5.
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass (OTP), 14–3.
Ought to Pass (OTP, Pass the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed on a voice vote
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 14–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed on a voice vote
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 9–8.
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
House Resources, Recreation and Development recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 10–9; a minority, Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL).
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes 182–152 on a roll call
Spoke for the motionRep. William Williams, Rep. Whalley
Spoke against the motionRep. Laflam, Rep. Peter Lovett
Reconsider (Vote again on a decision)
Motion Failed: Earlier Vote Stands on a voice vote
Moved by Rep. Royce.
House Finance recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 16–0.
Special Order (Take the bill up at a set time)
Motion Passed: Rescheduled
In the record: Special Order to 03/25/1998
House Judiciary and Family Law recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 11–2.
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
Also spoke during this billRep. John McCarthy, Rep. Kurkthe record does not say which of the day's motions
House Finance recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 14–3.
Special Order (Take the bill up at a set time)
Motion Passed: Rescheduled
In the record: Special Order to 03/25/1998
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass (OTP), 13–2.
Special Order (Take the bill up at a set time)
Motion Passed: Rescheduled on a voice vote
In the record: Special Order to 03/25/1998
House Judiciary and Family Law recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 15–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed 266–21 on a division
Spoke for the motionRep. Moynihan
Spoke against the motionRep. McCann
House Education recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 17–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed 225–85 on a roll call
Spoke for the motionRep. O'Hearn
Spoke against the motionRep. Fesh
House Commerce recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 15–0.
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
Also spoke during this billRep. John Huntthe record does not say which of the day's motions
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 15–1.
Special Order (Take the bill up at a set time)
Motion Passed: Rescheduled
In the record: Special Order to 03/25/1998
House Criminal Justice and Public Safety recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 17–2.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed 229–86 on a roll call
Spoke for the motionRep. Rosen, Rep. David Welch
Spoke against the motionRep. Robertson
House Judiciary and Family Law recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 15–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed 196–80 on a division
Spoke for the motionRep. Bergin
Spoke against the motionRep. Jacobson
House Commerce recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 10–2.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed on a voice vote
Spoke for the motionRep. Fuller Clark
Spoke against the motionRep. Donald White
House Finance recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 17–0.
Special Order (Take the bill up at a set time)
Motion Passed: Rescheduled
In the record: Special Order to 03/25/1998
House Finance recommended Ought to Pass (OTP), 16–0.
Ought to Pass (OTP, Pass the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed on a voice vote
House Commerce recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 12–0.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Bill Killed 194–108 on a division
Spoke for the motionRep. John Hunt
Spoke against the motionRep. Sapareto
House Science, Technology and Energy recommended Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA), 11–5; a minority, Interim Study (IS).
Ought to Pass with Amendment (OTPA, Pass the bill with changes)
Motion Passed: Bill Passed with Changes on a voice vote
House Science, Technology and Energy recommended Interim Study (IS), 16–0.
Interim Study (IS, Study the bill after the session)
Motion Passed: Sent to Interim Study on a voice vote
In the record: Refer for Interim Study
Suspend the Rules (Set a rule aside; needs two thirds)
Motion Passed: Rules Suspended
Moved by Rep. Wheeler & Burling.
In the record: Suspend Rules (on 03/12/1998) for rept date 05/13/1998
Suspend the Rules (Set a rule aside; needs two thirds)
Motion Passed: Rules Suspended
Moved by Rep. Wheeler & Burling.
In the record: Suspend Rules (on 03/12/1998) for rept date 05/13/1998
Suspend the Rules (Set a rule aside; needs two thirds)
Motion Passed: Rules Suspended
Moved by Rep. Wheeler & Burling.
In the record: Suspend Rules (on 03/12/1998) for rept date 05/13/1998
Concur with the Amendment (Accept the other chamber's changes)
Motion Passed: Changes Accepted on a voice vote
In the record: Concur
Concur with the Amendment (Accept the other chamber's changes)
Motion Passed: Changes Accepted on a voice vote
In the record: Concur
House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 10–7; a minority, Ought to Pass (OTP).
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Resolution Killed 199–136 on a roll call
Spoke for the motionRep. Teschner
Spoke against the motionRep. William Riley
House State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs recommended Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL), 11–5.
Inexpedient to Legislate (ITL, Kill the bill)
Motion Passed: Resolution Killed 220–113 on a roll call
Spoke for the motionRep. Letourneau, Rep. Belvin, Rep. Carson, Rep. Henderson
Spoke against the motionRep. John Pratt, Rep. D'Allesandro, Rep. Sabella, Rep. Bergin