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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2569 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 829
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Dennis C. Gallagher
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act Bridgewater town charter article II, legislative branch, term limits.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Dennis C. Gallagher8th Plymouth1/16/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2569 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 829
By Representative Gallagher of Bridgewater, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 829) of
Dennis C. Gallagher (by vote of the town) relative to term limits in the town of Bridgewater.
Election Laws. [Local Approval Received.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act Bridgewater town charter article II, legislative branch, term limits.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 ORDERED, that the Town Council assembled votes to amend the Bridgewater Home
2Rule Charter, Article II, Section 2-12 and to send said amendment to the State Legislature as a
3Special Act as follows:
4 Section 2-12(b) shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:
5 (b) Term Limits –
6 (1) No person shall be eligible to be elected or appointed as a District Council member of
7the Town Council if, at any point during the term of office for which the person may be elected
8or appointed, the service of the eligible person would exceed four District Councilor elections
9terms or appointments to the Town Council.
10 (2) No person shall be eligible to be elected or appointed as an At-large Council member
11of the Town Council if, at any point during the term of office for which the person may be 2 of 2
12elected or appointed, the service of the eligible person would exceed four elections terms or
13appointments to the Town Council.
14 (3) For the purpose of this section, prior service as an At-Large Councilor shall not
15prevent seeking election as a District Councilor. Prior service as a District Councilor shall not
16prevent seeking election as an At-Large Councilor.
17 (4) A term lasting less than 24 months shall not be included in calculating the total
18number of terms served by a member of the Town Council.
19 Said Amendment shall only become effective and is contingent upon approval by the
20Town Council, the State Legislature and the voters of the Town of Bridgewater.