# Massachusetts H 4379: An Act amending the charter of the city of Greenfield Massachusetts H 4379, An Act amending the charter of the city of Greenfield, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Joanne M. Comerford (Democratic), Natalie M. Blais (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-01-22 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2026) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4379-194 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Massachusetts H 4379 - State: Massachusetts - Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026) - Title: An Act amending the charter of the city of Greenfield - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-08-07 - Last action: 2026-01-22, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2026 - Sponsors: Joanne M. Comerford (Democratic), Natalie M. Blais (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Municipalities and Regional Government, House Steering, Policy and Scheduling - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (10 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Capital plan deadline and details: benefit, low. By March 1 each year, the mayor submits a capital improvement plan based on work from the city’s Capital Improvement Program Committee. The plan includes a short summary. It lists all proposed projects for the next five years with the need, cost estimates, how to pay, and schedules. It also shows e… - City budget deadlines and public notice: benefit, low. By April 22 each year, the mayor sends the next year’s operating budget and a budget message to the council. The city publishes a local newspaper notice and a simple budget summary. The summary shows big changes from the current budget and why, and the notice lists where to see full copies. The Cit… - Clear rules for acting mayor: benefit, low. If the mayor is away fewer than 15 business days, the mayor names a qualified city officer or employee to act. If the mayor cannot serve for 15 straight business days or more, the City Council President becomes acting mayor. If the president is absent or disabled, the vice-president serves. The may… - Faster approval for city appointments: benefit, low. If the City Council meets within 30 days and does not reject an appointment, it counts as approved. The appointee can take the oath and start right away. They do not have to wait the usual 35 days. - Stronger oversight of police and fire complaints: mixed, low. The public safety commission reviews all written public complaints about police and fire employees. All written complaints go to the department chief, who must investigate and report findings. The commission must set complaint and hearing rules that match city law, civil service law, and union cont… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joanne M. Comerford (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Natalie M. Blais (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-09-12 | committee | Committee Favorable: ought to pass | pass | 10 | 0 | | ## Actions (14) - 2026-01-22: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2026 - 2026-01-15: Enacted and laid before the Governor (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Enacted (House) - 2026-01-12: Read second, ordered to a third reading, read third and passed to be engrossed (Senate) - 2026-01-12: Taken out of the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2025-12-01: Read; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session (Senate) - 2025-11-26: Read third and passed to be engrossed (House) - 2025-10-16: Read second and ordered to a third reading (House) - 2025-10-16: Rules suspended (House) - 2025-10-16: Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting (House) - 2025-09-22: Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (House) - 2025-09-04: Hearing scheduled for 09/04/2025 from 03:10 PM-01:30 PM in Written Testimony Only (legislature) - 2025-08-11: Senate concurred (Senate) - 2025-08-07: Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (House) ## Bill text - Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2026, 2026-01-22: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4379.pdf) ## Related bills - H 4585: An Act authorizing the town of Auburn to offer expanded senior property tax abatements (signed) - H 5435: An Act authorizing the town of Topsfield to continue to employment of police chief Neal Hovey (passed senate) - H 5515: An Act to increase the value of estates eligible for abatements pursuant to M.G.L. chapter 59, section 5, clauses seventeenth D and forty-first C in the town o… (passed house) - H 3909: An Act authorizing the Provincetown year-round market rate rental housing trust to acquire year-round housing occupancy restrictions (signed) - H 5429: An Act providing injured on duty compensation to Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinale (second reading) - H 5520: An Act exempting George Patrinos from the maximum age requirement age for the position of firefighter in the town of Dudley (signed) ## Sources - [Chapter 6 of the Acts of 2026 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4379.pdf) ## Related - [H 4585: An Act authorizing the town of Auburn to offer expanded senior property tax aba…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4585-194) - [H 5435: An Act authorizing the town of Topsfield to continue to employment of police ch…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5435-194) - [H 5515: An Act to increase the value of estates eligible for abatements pursuant to M.G…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5515-194) - [H 3909: An Act authorizing the Provincetown year-round market rate rental housing trust…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H3909-194) - [H 5429: An Act providing injured on duty compensation to Chelmsford firefighter Nichola…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5429-194) - [H 5520: An Act exempting George Patrinos from the maximum age requirement age for the p…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5520-194) - [Massachusetts bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/massachusetts/bills) - [Massachusetts state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/massachusetts) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4379-194 (as of 2026-11-01).