HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6244        FILED ON: 6/23/2026

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Dennis C. Gallagher

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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 establishing an amendment to Bridgewater Town Charter Article VIII, Section 8-2 Citizen Referendum Petition Timeframe.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6244        FILED ON: 6/23/2026

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act establishing an amendment to Bridgewater Town Charter Article VIII, Section 8-2 Citizen Referendum Petition Timeframe.

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

 ORDERED that pursuant to Article 89, Section 8 of the Massachusetts Constitution, that allows the legislative body of the Town of Bridgewater to vote to submit a Special Act to the State Legislature to Amend the current Bridgewater Town Charter, the Town Council voted to amend said Town Charter, Article VIII, Section 8-2 as follows:

 Replace the existing language regarding the timeframe for submitting referendum petitions with the following:

 Citizen Referendum Procedures; Referendum Petition; Effect on Final Passage

 If within 30 days after the final passage of a measure, a petition signed by voters equal in number to at least 5 per cent of the total number of voters and addressed to the town council, protesting against the measure or any part thereof taking effect, is filed with the elected town clerk, the same shall thereupon and thereby be suspended from taking effect and the town council, as the case may be, shall immediately reconsider the measure or part thereof and if such measure or part thereof is not entirely rescinded, the town council shall submit the same, to a vote of the voters either at the next regular town election or at a special election which may, in its discretion, be called for the purpose and the measure or part thereof shall forthwith become null and void unless a majority of the voters voting on the same at the election vote in favor thereof.

 Said Amendment shall only become effective and is contingent upon approval by the Town Council, the State Legislature and the voters of the Town of Bridgewater.