Bill > S1471

This bill introduces several changes to municipal governance and legislative procedures in Massachusetts. First, it establishes that any municipal approval vote will remain valid for six years unless the city or town passes a majority vote to rescind it. Second, the bill declares that the procedures outlined in a specific chapter of municipal law are now exclusive, meaning they are the sole governing guidelines for certain municipal actions. Most significantly, the bill creates a new provision that exempts certain types of local legislative actions from requiring state legislative review, including license increases (except in Boston), charter amendments, municipal election voting method changes, individual personnel exemptions, minor tax-related adjustments, and property tax exemptions. The bill empowers municipalities by reducing bureaucratic oversight for what are deemed to be low-impact or purely local matters, while giving the state Attorney General the authority to create regulations to implement these changes. This legislation aims to streamline municipal governance by reducing administrative burdens and giving local governments more autonomy in routine decision-making processes.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S1471