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 16B of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1988 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the fourth to seventh, paragraphs inclusive, and inserting in place thereof the following three paragraphs:-

The annual regional school district budget as adopted by a two-thirds vote of the regional school district committee shall require the approval of two-thirds of the local appropriating authorities of the member municipalities. The regional school district budget so approved shall be apportioned between or among the member municipalities and paid in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

In the event that the regional school district budget in a regional school district is not approved by at least two-thirds of the member municipalities as required by this section, the regional school district committee shall have thirty days to reconsider, amend and resubmit a budget on the basis of the issues raised. The amounts required to be raised on account of the regional school district budget shall be reapportioned between or among the member municipalities by the regional school district committee and a copy of the amended budget shall be provided, not later than seven days from the date the amended regional school district budget was adopted by the regional school district committee, to the chairmen of the boards of selectmen, chairmen of the finance committees, mayors, presidents of the city councils and treasurers of the member municipalities. With the approval of the commissioner of education, a regional school district committee may have an additional fifteen days within which to reconsider, amend and reapportion said budget. The respective amounts reapportioned between or among the member municipalities by the regional school district committee shall be recertified by the district treasurer to the treasurers of the member municipalities not later than seven days from the date the amended regional school district budget was adopted by the regional school district committee. Prior to the expiration of forty-five days from the date on which such budget was adopted by the regional school district committee, each member municipality shall hold a meeting of the local appropriating authority to act upon the appropriation of the budget so reapportioned and recertified to it. If the appropriating authorities of at least two-thirds of the member municipalities vote to appropriate the amounts so reapportioned and recertified to them, such budget shall be considered approved and shall be apportioned between or among the member municipalities and paid by them in accordance with the terms of the regional school district agreement. In the case of a regional school district having three or more members, if the appropriating authorities of more than one-third of the member municipalities vote not to appropriate the amounts so reapportioned and recertified to them, then the budget shall again be recommitted to the regional school district committee for action pursuant to this paragraph. In the case of a two-member regional school district, if the appropriating authority of either member municipality votes not to appropriate the amount so reapportioned and recertified to it, the provisions of the following paragraph shall apply.

The regional school district committee shall convene a special district-wide meeting open to all registered voters in both municipalities at which the amended regional school district budget, proposed by the regional school district committee, shall be considered. Such meeting shall be called pursuant to a warrant, under the hands of at least a majority of the regional school district committee, notice of which shall be given at least fourteen days prior to the date of such meeting. The warrant shall state the time, place and purpose of the meeting and shall be directed to the district secretary, who shall give notice by posting a copy in the city or town clerk's office and at least two other public places in each member municipality and who shall further provide notice by publishing a copy of said warrant in at least one newspaper in general circulation within the member municipalities. The boards of selectmen of the member municipalities in a joint meeting shall, by a majority vote of those present, appoint a town moderator or any other person acceptable to the boards of selectmen to act as moderator and the district secretary shall keep the record of such meeting. Approval of the regional school district budget shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of those present and voting thereon, by a counted vote. The regional school district budget so approved shall be apportioned between the member municipalities and paid by them in accordance with the terms of the regional school district agreement.