Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 4 of chapter 686 of the acts of 1970 is hereby amended by striking out the third paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

If it appears to the registrars that by retaining the same district lines, the largest district in population will be entitled to two times the number of representatives to which the smallest district in population will be entitled, or whenever mandated by the state to redraw precinct lines, they shall proceed to establish new districts in the same manner as is provided for the establishment of the original districts in section three. Whenever the town is redivided in this way, the terms of office of all incumbent town meeting members shall be terminated and the procedures of this section shall apply insofar as applicable.

SECTION 2. The second paragraph of subsection (g) of section 12 of said chapter 686 is hereby amended by striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- Within fourteen days of the filing deadline and including the time of certification by the board of registrars of a referendum petition, the selectmen shall call a special election which shall be held within thirty-five days but no sooner than twenty-eight days after issuing the call; provided, however, that if a regular or special election is to be held not more than thirty days after, they may provide that the question or questions involved be presented to the voters at the same election.