What is Joint Rule 10? Priority Legislation Reaches an Important Step

By MAPC's Government Affairs Team

December 3, 2025 - Joint Rule 10 is when (almost) all Joint Committees in the Massachusetts Legislature have to have held a hearing and made an initial decision on every bill before them that was filed that legislative session. In 2025, Joint Rule 10 Day was moved up from its typical time in mid-February to the first Wednesday in December. Though we have seen many MAPC bills move out of committee already, Joint Rule 10 is the first marker in the two-year legislative session that signifies the future of our priority legislation.

Committees can vote to advance a bill with a favorable report, reject it, extend the reporting deadline, or send the bill to “study,” which effectively ends the bill in that branch for the session. Sometimes, one branch of the Committee will choose to advance a bill whereas the other branch will take no action. This means that the bill may still be “in play” to move later in the session beginning in the new branch.

MAPC’s Government Affairs team has been closely tracking more than 80 bills this session and has worked closely with Legislative offices, municipal officials, advocacy partners, and the agency’s subject matter experts to advocate for bills and budget priorities that will build a more equitable, sustainable, collaborative, and climate resilient future for the people who live and work in Greater Boston.

MAPC's Lizzi Weyant is pictured seated in a wooden chair at a wooden table. She is facing a seated panel with a long microphone on the table in front of her. Others are seated on benches behind Lizzi.

MAPC's Georgia Barlow is pictured seated in a wooden chair, at a wooden table, and faces a row of people seated as she testifies.

MAPC's Norman Abbott is pictured seated in a wooden chair at a wooden table. He is facing left towards a long microphone on the table.

MAPC's Sasha Shyduroff-Gutman is pictured seated at a large wooden table, holding papers and speaking into a long, black microphone.

MAPC staff members have provided testimony at dozens of hearings throughout the current legislative session. Pictured from top to bottom, left to right: Executive Director Lizzi Weyant testified in support of the Governor’s Municipal Empowerment Act; Senior Government Affairs Specialist Norman Abbott testified in support of flood disclosure; Senior Government Affairs Specialist Georgia Barlow in front of the Joint Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Management speaking on the impacts of federal changes; and Principal Planner Sasha Shyduroff-Gutman testified in front of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, speaking to the importance of creating a Zero Carbon Renovation Fund, protecting residents from extreme heat, and helping to reduce building emission.

As bills move out of committee, the Government Affairs team will continue advocating in the State House and meeting with legislators to ensure our priorities cross the finish line. You can learn more about MAPC’s top priorities on our website: https://www.mapc.org/resource-library/govt-affairs-home/

If you want to get involved or learn more, contact the Government Affairs team: Norman Abbott ([email protected]) and Georgia Barlow ([email protected]).

2025 By The Numbers

More than 85 testimony letters submitted
MAPC participated in more than 35 hearings
16 MAPC staff testified from 12 different departments (including first time staff!)
Met with more than 75 state legislative offices
Met with eight offices in MAPC’s federal delegation

Many Senate bills have been reported from Committee following Joint Rule 10, though it may take a few weeks to be reflected online as the Clerk’s office works through all filed reports. Other bills have had extensions filed, which give Committees more time to consider the legislation.