Behind The Scenes On Beacon Hill

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Behind The Scenes On Beacon Hill

MARCH 2005 - Office of the House Clerk - The State House 'Worker Bees'. Over the years members have read countless articles describing the Association's legislative activities on Beacon Hill. During that time, we have profiled many of the elected officials who have worked side-by-side with Association lobbyists on behalf of public retirees.

Members may be familiar with their elected officials, but there is an important part of the legislative process that most people will never come to know. There are hundreds of men and women working in a variety of administrative roles within the State House who do not receive the recognition that they deserve for the important jobs they perform.

While there are a number of individuals and offices within the State House that are important, we would like to first introduce members to the workings and dedicated professionals of the Office of the House Clerk. Since it is the House that begins the annual budget process and initiates all spending bills, it is a good place to begin.

We should mention that there is also an Office of the Senate Clerk, which provides a similar function to that of the House Clerk. Since each separate piece of legislation must pass each legislative body, both offices are equally essential to the function of the General Court.

It can be argued that the clerks of both branches serve as the "worker bees" for the Legislature. Both offices are responsible for processing the thousands of separate bills and amendments filed by elected officials. The clerks refer each matter to the appropriate committee, enforce established guidelines, and manage the printing of legislative documents.

Each bill, that is filed, is assigned a number before it is referred to one, of the more than two-dozen committees, that oversees the particular subject matter covered by that bill. The overwhelming majority of bills filed by the Association are referred to the Joint Committee on Public Service, which handles all public retirement legislation.

Dedicated Public Servants

The office of the House Clerk contains some of the longest serving and most experienced public employees. All five of the senior staff members have in excess of 30 years of service within the Legislature. Together, they have a combined total of 176 years of public service. Each is an immeasurable source of information and historical perspective.

Presiding over the nine-member office is the Clerk of the House Steve James. After beginning his career in public service as a House page in 1964, the 58-year-old James worked his way through the ranks of the clerk's office holding various positions. In 1999, upon the retirement of longtime Clerk Robert MacQueen, James was appointed clerk of the House by then-Speaker Thomas Finneran. James, a Winthrop native now living in the Back Bay, is known for his affability and efficiency.

Longevity is a hallmark of service among the office's senior staff. Scott Mitchell of Burlington, the First Assistant Clerk of the House, has 30 years of public service. Second Assistant Clerk Robert DeCarlo, a Winthrop native, has 35 years.

Anyone, who has ever stopped by the office to research a bill or to seek advice on legislative process ,has undoubtedly been greeted by James Twomey and Katy Sclafani. With more than 41 years of service, Twomey, who serves as office manager, is one of the most knowledgeable figures in state government. Together with Sclafani, who has 35 years of service, Twomey performs a wide variety of daily duties that ensure the smooth operation of the office.

Tim Carroll and Matt Landry are responsible for the integration of information technology within the office. Carroll is responsible for making sure current information is updated and made available to the public through the internet. Landry, the newest addition to the office, is largely credited with the successful transition to the new electronic bill-filing process currently in use.

The live televising of House Sessions is coordinated by Video-Archivist Steven Zerdelian. Each session is electronically archived and preserved within the official Archives of the Commonwealth.

One of the most beloved employees of the Legislature is the always-affable Bill Tierney. During each House session, Tierney can be seen transporting the bills between the House and Senate as they make their way towards becoming laws.

The Association is fortunate to count a number of retirees of the clerk's office among our members: Wally Mills (1982); Clem Walsh (1983); and Bart Joyce (1996). We would be remiss if we did not point out that the legendary House Clerk Bob MacQueen, who retired in 1999, is not only a member, but continues to be a tremendous source of advice and information to our Association.

Unseen Duties

For most people, the minutia, that is the inner workings of government, never gets paid a second thought. But to our elected officials and those involved in the legislative process, the day-to-day, behind the scenes workings of the House Clerk are vitally important.

Starting with the responsibility to administer the thousands of bills filed each year, right down to the very public process of a bill becoming a law, a lot depends upon the Office of the Clerk in both branches of the Legislature.

"One of the first things that jumps out at you is the amount of time and energy that Steve James and his staff put into their jobs. It is not at all uncommon for them to be in the office quite early in the morning and stay late into the evening," said Association President Ralph White. "No one takes that job seeking to work nine-to-five 'bankers' hours.

"Each member of the staff is a true professional. Our Association depends heavily on the Clerk's office on a day-to-day basis. The service the staff provides is immeasurable."

"When I first started at the State House as an intern one of the first people I met was Jim Twomey, who I went to seeking information on a bill. Even though I was just a young college kid at the time, Jim went out of his way to help me with my project," remembers Association Legislative Liaison Shawn Duhamel. "Everyone in that office is a class act and professional in every sense of the word."

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