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The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the Lower House of the Massachusetts General Court , the State Legislature of the Commonwealth Of Massachusetts . It is composed of 160 members elected from an equal number of single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms. The House meets at the Massachusetts State House in Boston . REPRESENTATION Historically, representatives were apportioned by community. For the first 150 persons, one representative was granted, and this ratio increased as the population of the town increased. This was ultimately changed to its current regional population system in the , adopted by voters in 1974. Each Representative represents about 39,682 residents. Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , Article LXXXII. Representative districts are named for the counties they are in, and tend to stay within one county, although districts occasionally cross county lines. THE SACRED COD hanging from the House's Visitor Gallery.]] Within the House's debating chamber hangs the Sacred Cod Of Massachusetts . The five foot long pine carving of the cod was offered by Representative John Rowe in 1784 in commemoration of the state's martime economy and history. Two previous carvings of the cod existed during the legislature's colonial era; the first destroyed in a fire in 1747, and the second during the American War Of Independence . Since 1784, the current Sacred Cod has been present at nearly every House session, and moved to its current location when the House began convening in the State House in 1798. In 1933, members of the Harvard Lampoon stole the cod carving as part of a prank. The theft sparked a large state-wide search by the Boston and Massachusetts State Police . Following outrage from Boston newspapers and the General Court itself, the cod was anonymously handed back. LEADERSHIP The Speaker Of The House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leader, and controls the flow of legislation. Other House leaders, such as the Majority and Minority Leader s, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the House. The current Speaker of the House is Salvatore DiMasi of the 3rd Suffolk District ( Boston ). The Majority Leader is John H. Rogers of the 12th Norfolk District ( Norwood ). The Republican Minority Leader is Bradley Jones, Jr. of the 20th Middlesex District ( North Reading ). Leaders The most recent election of members was held on November 7 , 2006 (See Massachusetts House Elections, 2006 ) Representatives serve two-year terms. PARTY SUMMARY The Democrats hold a Supermajority in the House, the largest of its kind in any state legislature over the Republicans. MEMBERS The following is a complete list of Members of the House of Representatives, by district: Barnstable County , Dukes County and Nantucket County 6 Representatives (5 Democrats 1 Republican) Berkshire County 4 Representatives (4 Democrats) Bristol County 14 Representatives (11 Democrats 3 Republicans) ''' Essex County '''18 Representatives (17 Democrats 1 Republican) ''' Franklin County 2 Representatives (2 Democrats) ''' Hampden County 12 Representatives (9 Democrats 3 Republicans) ''' Hampshire County 3 Representatives (3 Democrats) ''' Middlesex County 37 Representatives (34 Democrats 3 Republicans) ''' Norfolk County 15 Representatives (14 Democrats 1 Republican) ''' Plymouth County 12 Representatives (8 Democrats 3 Republicans) ''' Suffolk County 19 Representatives (19 Democrats) ''' Worcester County 18 Representatives (14 Democrats 4 Republicans) SEE ALSO SOURCE, EXTERNAL LINKS, AND REFERENCES |
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