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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2189 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1471 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Rebecca L. Rausch |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act empowering municipalities and improving efficiency. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Rebecca L. RauschNorfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2189 FILED ON: 1/17/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1471 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Ms. Rausch, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1471) of Rebecca L. Rausch for |
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| 19 | 19 | | legislation to empower municipalities and improving efficiency. Municipalities and Regional |
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| 20 | 20 | | Government. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act empowering municipalities and improving efficiency. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 8A of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following words:- An |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3approval vote shall continue in full force and effect for a period of 6 years from the date of the |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4vote, unless a vote to rescind such approval is passed by a majority of the voters of a city or |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5town. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6 SECTION 2. Section 18 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the last sentence and inserting in place |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8thereof the following words:- The procedures set forth in this chapter shall be exclusive. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9 SECTION 3. Said chapter 43B, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10following section:- |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11 Section 21. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a city or town |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12shall not be required to submit for legislative review or approval a home rule petition pertaining 2 of 2 |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13to matters with minimal or no statewide impact, including but not limited to: increases in licenses |
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| 42 | 42 | | 14in any municipality other than the city of Boston pursuant to section 17 of chapter 138, provided |
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| 43 | 43 | | 15that the municipality has a licensing board or commission, board of health, or other municipal |
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| 44 | 44 | | 16body that reviews applications or requests for new licenses; charter amendments; changes to |
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| 45 | 45 | | 17voting methodology in municipal elections only; individual personnel exemptions from the |
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| 46 | 46 | | 18provisions of chapter 31; reasonable changes to the proportionality limits set forth in section 1A |
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| 47 | 47 | | 19of chapter 58; and property tax exemptions pursuant to section 5 of chapter 59. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 20 (b) The attorney general may promulgate regulations to enforce this section. |
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