SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2990

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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SENATE, July 7, 2022.

The committee on Senate Rules to whom was referred the Senate Bill relative to the 2022 annual town meeting for the town of Tisbury (Senate, No. 2611),- reports, recommending that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day with an amendment substituting a new draft entitled “An Act authorizing the town of Tisbury to hold 2022, 2023 and 2024 town meetings outside of the geographic limits of the town if necessary for health and safety” (Senate, No. 2990).

For the committee,

Joan B. Lovely

        FILED ON: 7/7/2022

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2990

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

An Act authorizing the town of Tisbury to hold 2022, 2023 and 2024 town meetings outside of the geographic limits of the town if necessary for health and safety.

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. (a) Notwithstanding section 9 of chapter 39 of the General Laws or any other general or special law, charter provision, regulation or by-law of the town of Tisbury to the contrary, the select board of the town may vote to hold any town meeting in 2022, 2023 or 2024 outside of the geographic limits of the town if the select board determines that it is not possible to adequately conduct such a meeting at or near the date designated for the meeting in the town’s by-laws at a location within the geographic limits of the town that is suitable for conducting the meeting and ensures the opportunity for the town’s residents to participate in the meeting in a manner that protects their health and safety; provided, however, that a meeting for the election of officers that are to be determined by ballot at a municipal election shall be held within the geographic limits of the town.

(b) If a town meeting is held outside of the geographic limits of the town, the select board shall publicly post notice of the location of the meeting and may circulate notice of the location of the town meeting in any other way that is reasonably calculated to achieve the goal of public notice of the location of town meeting outside of the geographic limits of the town.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.