MassGOP Raises Alarm on Declining Transparency on Beacon Hill

March 13, 2024

 

Transparency on Beacon Hill is a growing concern. In the 2023 legislative session, the House conducted only 81 roll call votes, down from 105 in 2021 and 2022, and significantly fewer than the 313 held in 2017-2018. This decline underscores the concentration of power among Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill forcibly advancing their policies behind closed doors.

 

MassGOP Chairwoman, Amy Carnevale, provided comment on the lack of transparency on Beacon Hill stating, “Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill operate covertly, evading roll call votes and leaving the public unaware of their elected officials’ positions. What we’re seeing is Democratic leaders are bundling unrelated policies into single pieces of legislation, to avoid voting on individual policies, compelling a single vote on multiple issues. This tactic coerces legislators to support these far reaching bills because they include provisions relevant to their constituents, even if they would otherwise oppose all other aspects of the legislation.”

 

“Such maneuvering leads to poor policy-making, as it compromises legislators’ positions and undermines true representation. Ideally, each policy initiative should be addressed through separate legislation, enabling voters to make informed decisions based on their representatives’ stances on key matters,” Carnevale continued.

 

“Massachusetts ranks among the lowest in the United States for transparency, and there’s a clear reason for it. We have a Governor who, in an unprecedented departure from transparency, refuses to announce her absences from the state and actively avoids the press whenever possible. It’s crucial for residents to recognize that our government’s operations are far from standard. Republicans across the state have been advocating for transparency on Beacon Hill and will persist in doing so. We aim to eliminate the legislative exemption from the open meeting law, open record law, and fair procurement. However, these changes will never occur under a Democratic supermajority. In this upcoming election cycle it is critical for residents to elect Republicans to champion transparency and healthy legislating. Without a two-party system of government, Democrats will continue to quietly steamroll legislation through Beacon Hill and residents will continue to endure the consequences of one party rule,” Carnevale concluded.

 

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