HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3779        FILED ON: 4/15/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3342

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

April 15, 2015

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,

Pursuant to Article LVI, as amended by Article XC, Section 3 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am returning to you for amendment Sections 1, 10, 12 and 13 of House Bill No. 63, “An Act Relative to the Town of Reading Home Rule Charter.”

This bill is intended to amend the town of Reading’s home rule charter in accord with a vote taken at a special town meeting on January 5, 2015.  According to that vote, the bill, prior to enactment, could be changed in form only by proper amendments approved by the Board of Selectmen.  On March 24, 2015, the Board of Selectmen did vote to make certain amendments to the bill.  As enacted, however, the legislation does not reflect those changes.   

To ensure that this enacted home rule bill accurately reflects the town’s authorization and intentions, I recommend that Sections 1, 10, 12 and 13 be amended as follows:

(i)In Section 1, by striking out, in lines 1 to 3, inclusive, the words “which is on file in the office of the archivist on the commonwealth, as provided in section 12 of chapter 43B of the General Laws, as amended by January 1, 2015” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “as amended by article 7 of the January 5, 2015 special town”; and

(ii)In Section 10, by striking out, in lines 41 to 43, inclusive, the words “35 nor more than 60 days after the date of the certificate of the board of registrars of voters; provided, however, that if any other town election is to occur not less than 35 nor more than 60” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “64 days or not more than 90 days from the date the board of selectmen orders the election; provided, however, that if any other town election is to occur not less than 70 days or not more than 90”; and

(iii)by striking out sections 12 and 13 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

“SECTION 12.  This act shall take effect as of the date of the certification of the April 7, 2015 election results in the town of Reading.”

Thank you for your prompt consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Charles D. Baker,

Governor