HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2630        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3373

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

William Smitty Pignatelli

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act requiring a 180-day limit on processing home rule petitions.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

William Smitty Pignatelli

4th Berkshire

 

Stephen L. DiNatale

3rd Worcester

 

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

 

James R. Miceli

19th Middlesex

 

James J. Dwyer

30th Middlesex

 

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

 

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

 

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

 

Michael F. Rush

Norfolk and Suffolk

 

Thomas J. Calter

12th Plymouth

 

Elizabeth A. Poirier

14th Bristol

 

Colleen M. Garry

36th Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2630        FILED ON: 1/18/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3373

By Mr. Pignatelli of Lenox, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3373) of William Smitty Pignatelli and others relative to legislative action on petitions filed with the General Court by cities and towns.  Rules of the two branches, acting concurrently.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act requiring a 180-day limit on processing home rule petitions.

 

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.  Chapter 3 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8A the following section:-

8B. The general court shall have 180 days to enact a petition that has been filed or approved by the voters of a city or town, or the mayor and city council, or other legislative body, of a city, or the town meeting of a town, with respect to a law relating to that city or town, provided that the petition is submitted to the general court pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth.  The 180-day period shall run from the date on which the petition was filed or approved by the city or town, inclusive of weekends and holidays.  If the general court fails to enact the petition within 180 days of that date, the petition shall expire at midnight on the 180th day and a new petition must be submitted to the general court pursuant to the provisions of Section 8 of Article LXXXIX of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth prior to enactment.