SECTION 1. Notwithstanding section 1 of chapter 35 of the General Laws, section 160 of chapter 54 of the General Laws, or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the treasurer for the county of Dukes County shall be appointed and may be removed, for cause, after the opportunity for a hearing, by the commissioners for the county of Dukes County. The treasurer shall have all the powers, perform the duties, and be subject to the liabilities and penalties now or hereafter conferred and imposed by law on county treasurers. The commissioners may establish an employment contract with the treasurer for salary, fringe benefits and other conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, severance pay, reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of office, liability insurance and conditions of discipline, termination, dismissal, reappointment, performance standards and leave.

SECTION 2. Upon the effective date of this act, the elected office of county treasurer of the county of Dukes County shall be abolished.  The current appointed treasurer shall continue in that position, and perform the duties thereof, until the expiration of the term for which she was appointed, after which the commissioners shall appoint a county treasurer under section 1.

SECTION 3. No contracts or liabilities in force on the effective date of this act shall be affected by the abolition of the elected office of county treasurer and the appointed treasurer shall, in all respects, be the lawful successor of the office so abolished. All records, property and equipment of the offices of the elected county treasurer shall be assigned to the office of the appointed county treasurer.

SECTION 4. This act shall not take effect until upon its passage and approval by the Dukes County voters at the 2020 state election. If there is a duly elected County Treasurer at the 2020 state election, this act shall not take effect until such treasurer is done serving his or her term.