HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6307        FILED ON: 9/9/2026

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

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Patricia A. Duffy

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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 pertaining to City Council procedures.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 6307        FILED ON: 9/9/2026

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 pertaining to City Council procedures.

 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 13 of the City of Holyoke Charter shall be amended by deleting the current section in its entirety.

 SECTION 2: Section 13 of the City of Holyoke Charter shall be further amended by adding the following new section:

 The city council shall determine the rules of its own proceedings and shall be judge of the election and qualifications of its own members. In case of the absence of the president, the vice president shall preside. In the case of the absence of both the president and the vice president, the council shall choose a president pro tempore, and a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient for a choice. The council shall sit with open doors, whether in session as a city council or as a committee of the whole, and shall cause a journal of its proceedings to be kept, which journal shall be open to public inspection.

 The vote of the council upon any question shall be taken by roll call when the same is requested by at least three members. A simple majority of all the members of the council shall be required to constitute a quorum of the city council or any of its committees, but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day. All votes of the city council requiring a majority shall require a majority of all the members. All votes of a city council committee requiring a majority shall require a majority of those members present. All votes of the city council or any of its committees requiring a two-thirds or more supermajority shall require that same supermajority of all the members.

 The city council shall, so far as is not inconsistent with this act, have and exercise all the legislative powers of towns and of the inhabitants thereof, and shall have and exercise all the powers now vested by law in the City of Holyoke and in the inhabitants thereof, as a municipal corporation, and be subject to all the liabilities of city councils, and of either branch thereof, under the General Laws, and it may by ordinance prescribe the manner in which such powers shall be exercised.

 Every ordinance shall be considered as adopted by final action of the city council only after passing the following three votes: (1) Motion to pass the first reading, by a majority of all the members of the city council, (2) Motion to pass the second reading by a majority of all the members of the city council, and (3) Motion that the legal form be ordained, by a majority of all the members of the city council voting in a recorded roll-call 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.