Bill > S2171

This bill establishes the Office of Municipal Efficiency and Regionalization (OMER), a new state agency within the Administration and Finance department, aimed at improving local government operations across Massachusetts. The office will be led by a gubernatorially-appointed Director with expertise in municipal management, and will have broad responsibilities including providing technical assistance to municipalities, administering grants to support regionalization projects, conducting studies on efficiency improvements, facilitating inter-municipal partnerships, offering training programs for local officials, and evaluating the potential benefits of collaborative initiatives. OMER will be funded through annual state appropriations and will manage a dedicated "Efficiency & Regionalization grant program" to incentivize municipalities to share resources and services. The office is required to submit an annual report to the Governor and Legislature detailing its activities, funding allocations, and project outcomes, along with recommendations for further efficiency improvements. The bill specifies that the office will be established within 180 days of passage, with the Director to be appointed within 90 days, and includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the legislation is found invalid, the rest of the act can still be implemented.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2171