HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6306        FILED ON: 9/9/2026

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Patricia A. Duffy

_________________

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 pertaining to the laying out of streets, ways, and highways in the city of Holyoke.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6306        FILED ON: 9/9/2026

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

_______________

An Act pertaining to the laying out of streets, ways, and highways in the city of Holyoke.

 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: Section 22 of the City of Holyoke Charter shall be amended by deleting the current heading and section in its entirety.

 SECTION 2: Section 22 of the City of Holyoke Charter shall be further amended by adding the following new heading and section:

 Sec. 22. - Power as to laying out, etc., of streets; damages; ordinances, etc., involving expenditures in excess of one thousand dollars.

 (a) The city council shall, with the approval of the mayor, have exclusive authority and power to order the laying out, locating anew or discontinuing of all streets and ways and highways within the limits of the city, and to assess the damage sustained by any person thereby, and further, except as herein otherwise provided, to act in all matters relating to such laying out, locating anew, altering or discontinuing. Any person aggrieved by the assessment of his damages, or other action of the city council under this section, shall have all the rights and privileges now allowed by law in such cases in appeals from decisions of the selectmen of towns.

 (b) Any ordinance, order, resolution or vote involving the appropriation or expenditure of money to an amount which may exceed one thousand dollars, shall require for its passage the affirmative votes of a majority of all the members of the city council. Every such ordinance, order, resolution or vote shall be read twice, with an interval of at least three days between the two readings, before being finally passed; and the vote at its final passage shall be taken by roll call; provided, however, that upon and after the written recommendation of the mayor the city council may pass such ordinance, order, resolution or vote on the same day by a two-thirds yea and nay vote.

 SECTION 3: So much of Chapter 438 of the Acts of 1896 and Chapter 327 of the Acts of 1936 and acts in amendment thereof and addition thereto, as is inconsistent with this act, is hereby repealed.

 SECTION 4: The General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the Mayor and City Council approve amendments before enactment by the General Court. The Mayor and City Council are hereby authorized to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition.

 SECTION 5: This act shall take effect upon its approval.