myFOXboston.comBy Bob Salsberg, Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) - The Democratic-controlled state Legislature begins a new two-year session on Wednesday, a day before a new Republican governor takes office on Beacon Hill.
Outgoing Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, in one of his final official acts, will swear-in the 160 members of the House and 40 members of the Senate. The two chambers that comprise the General Court - a formal title dating back to colonial days - will then hold meetings to formally elect leaders for the session.
House Democrats meeting in caucus Wednesday unanimously re-elected Winthrop Democrat Robert DeLeo to serve as House Speaker. This will be DeLeo's fourth term as speaker and his last under current House rules.
Senate Majority Leader Stanley Rosenberg, an Amherst Democrat, was expected to win the nod to succeed Therese Murray as Senate president. The election of Rosenberg seems assured despite a recent controversy surrounding his domestic partner, Bryon Hefner. The Boston Globe reported earlier this month that Hefner had raised eyebrows by mocking Murray on Twitter and boasting that he would exert influence on legislative affairs.
Rosenberg responded with a letter to colleagues in which he promised a "firewall" between his private and professional life. He would be the first openly gay person to lead either of the state's legislative chambers.
Murray, a Plymouth Democrat, is retiring after being the first woman to serve as Senate President and plans to start a nonprofit business development organization.
The legislative session began one day before the searing-in of Republican Gov.-elect Charlie Baker.
DeLeo told a jovial meeting of House Democrats that his re-election as speaker "never gets old." He predicted the coming session would pose challenges, including fiscal ones - an apparent reference to a budget deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30 that has been estimated at $329 million by Patrick's administration, but higher by some outside analysts.
"We are going to keep on moving this commonwealth forward," DeLeo said.
Rep. Brad Jones, R-North Andover, was re-elected minority leader on Wednesday by House Republicans and Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, was expected to continue as the House and Senate minority leaders, respectively. Republicans remain heavily outnumbered in both chambers, without enough votes on their own to sustain any future vetoes by Baker.
Baker and legislative leaders have said they expect to work together cooperatively in the new session.
