In a hasty joint meeting of the state legislature Wednesday, a proposal that would amend the Massachusetts constitution to allow early voting and unrestricted absentee ballots in the state inched forward.

Senate President Therese Murray quickly took the vote and advanced the measure to a third reading. 

A third reading is a crucial step to implementing new voting laws, Murray says. The proposal would allow state residents to cast ballots up to ten days ahead of an election and allow anyone to cast an absentee ballot. But the proposal still must pass the legislature twice in the next two years, before it’s sent to voters for approval. The legislature did not act Wednesday on another proposed amendment that would set up a process to fill a lieutenant governor vacancy.