Gerry: I was wondering how a Home Rule Petition worked so I first went to the MASS House Website and found the following:

If the petition is passed by the legislative body (and receives the mayor’s approval, where necessary) it is then treated as a piece of proposed legislation – i.e., it is filed with the House or Senate clerk, assigned to a legislative committee, passed by the House and Senate, signed by the Governor, and returned to the city or town.

So the way I understand it is now up to Sen. Steve or Rep. Murphy, Nangle or Golden to take the approved Petition and file it. It then would go through the normal channels and get voted on in the House and in the Senate. (Which is why I asked the candidates in both Senate and in the Dracut Rep. race the question and emailed copies of the petition to them). Many have already responded.

I’m wondering how this is affected by the fact that the formal session ends July 31st. Will this petition have to wait until 2011 before it gets moved and taken to the floor or can it be filed and passed in an informal session?

I have emailed the 3 State Representatives: Just wondering if you also support the Home Rule Petition dealing with the Health Insurance and what has to happen next to get this through the House ?

and Sen. Panagiotakos: Question for my BLOG. Can you explain the next steps that the City Of Lowell Home Rules Petition has to go through to get passed in both the House and Senate and an estimated time frame (if possible).

They do not have a great track record of responding to BLOGS or to me personally but it is an important issue that deserves to be answered and explained and hopefully they will respond or go on WCAP/ City Life or in the SUN and explain to the Taxpayers/Voters/Citizens of the City how exactly the process works.