Learn the Lingo
The language of legislative advocacy can be confusing at times. Here are some basic definitions and resources to aid you in your advocacy efforts.

Budget Glossary of Terms

Appropriation: A specified sum of money authorized by the Legislature for a specific period of time to accomplish a specific purpose. See Line Item.

Fiscal Year: Period that the Massachusetts budget covers: July 1 through June 30. (The federal fiscal year covers October 1 through September 30.)

The General Court: The Massachusetts State Legislature.

Massachusetts has a bicameral, i.e. dual chamber, legislature known as the General Court. The name dates from colonial time when the legislature also had judicial powers.

The upper body of the General Court is the Senate, composed of 40 members.

The lower body, the House of Representatives, consists of 160 members.

Members are elected to a two-year term; each biennial session begins in an odd-numbered year. Each body has a presiding officer elected by a majority of its members: the Senate is led by the Senate President and the House by the Speaker of the House. Each chamber has its own procedural rules to govern activity within the chamber, as well as joint rules to govern progress of bills. These rules are printed in the Manual of the General Court.

Bills introduced in the General Court require the approval of both the Senate and the House before proceeding to the Governor's desk for signature. This approval process involves study by a committee, and three readings, i.e. three separate procedural steps in each chamber, before submission to the Governor.

Line Item: Unit by which the Legislature appropriates money. Line items consist of an account number, language that outlines how the money may be spent, the amount, and the fund designation. Where no fund designation is given, the appropriation is charged to the General Fund.

Line Item Veto: Action taken by the Governor, authorized by the Constitution, to disapprove a legislative bill. For appropriations bills, the Governor may disapprove line items, or in some instances portions of line items, and outside sections.

Outside sections: Sections in a budget act following section 3, which contain specific provisions of law which govern the particular appropriations contained in the budget, make other special laws that usually apply for only one fiscal year, and amend the General Laws to implement permanent changes included in the budget.

Veto Override: Legislative power to nullify a Governor’s veto. Requires a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate.

Ways and Means Committees: Legislative bodies in the House and Senate, which consist of members of the respective branches appointed by the House Speaker and Senate President. These bodies make recommendations to their respective chambers on all funding bills. The House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means employ budget staff, including analysts.