# Massachusetts H 4399: An Act further amending the charter of the town of Middleton Massachusetts H 4399, An Act further amending the charter of the town of Middleton, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Bradley H. Jones Jr. (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-08 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 74 of the Acts of 2026) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4399-194 - 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 4399 - State: Massachusetts - Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026) - Title: An Act further amending the charter of the town of Middleton - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-08-11 - Last action: 2026-05-08, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 74 of the Acts of 2026 - Sponsor: Bradley H. Jones Jr. (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Municipalities and Regional Government, House Steering, Policy and Scheduling, Bills in the Third Reading - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (10 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 16 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Elected town offices and volunteer costs: benefit, low. The charter lists which town offices are elected, including school committees, planning, assessors, library trustees, town clerk, housing authority, electric commissioners, a constable, and the moderator. Members who serve without pay can be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses if money is… - Five-member board with oversight powers: benefit, low. The Select Board has five members with overlapping three-year terms. Vacant seats may be filled by special election under state law. The Board can investigate town affairs, subpoena witnesses, take sworn testimony, and require documents. Findings are filed with the Town Clerk and printed in the nex… - How board vacancies and meetings work: benefit, low. Vacancies on Chapter 5 boards are filled by the Select Board together with the remaining board members under state law. All boards must organize each year, elect a chair, adopt rules, and keep public minutes. Closed meetings are allowed only when state law permits an executive session. - May election date and quick start: benefit, low. Town elections are held on the third Tuesday in May. The Select Board may move the date for public health, safety, or welfare reasons if state law allows. Elected people begin work right away after taking the oath. - Regular reviews of charter and by-laws: benefit, low. Every 10 years, the Moderator appoints a Charter Review Committee to recommend changes to Town Meeting. The Select Board must have a By‑law Committee review the town’s General By‑laws at least every five years. Registered voters can request and get copies of the by‑laws. - Rules to keep Town Meeting orderly: benefit, low. If attendance falls below quorum, Town Meeting must adjourn to a stated date, time, and place or be dissolved. For procedures, Town Meeting uses the latest Town Meeting Time unless state law, the charter, or a by-law says otherwise. - Set terms for key town officers: benefit, low. Town Counsel and the Town Accountant serve three-year terms. The Police Chief and Fire Chief have indefinite terms. The Conservation, Recreation, and Historical Commissions each have five members with overlapping three-year terms. - Stronger planning input on land issues: benefit, low. Two Planning Board alternates are jointly appointed each year. The chair can seat an alternate when a member is absent, has a conflict, cannot act, or a seat is vacant. The Planning Board must give recommendations on zoning, land use, conservation, sewer extensions, and similar articles. It may als… - Stronger Town Administrator for budget and staff: benefit, low. The Town Administrator prepares the operating budget and capital program with the Town Accountant. The Administrator is the Chief Procurement Officer; bid rules still apply, and the Select Board must vote to award a contract not to the lowest bidder. The Administrator supervises department heads, h… - Yearly audit of all town finances: benefit, low. An annual audit covers all town accounts, books, records, and financial transactions. It includes every department, board, and commission, including the elementary school department. - Town staff who bid must resign: cost, medium. If a paid town officer or employee files a bid on a town contract, that bid counts as a notice of resignation. This applies unless a state law specifically allows you to bid and keep your job. Town workers who bid risk losing their position and pay. - New town job rules and protections: mixed, medium. The Town Administrator is the main full‑time administrative officer and reports to the Select Board. The Administrator must propose personnel rules, and the Select Board may adopt them. Rules can cover pay, job classes, hiring, promotion, hours, leave, training, union relations, grievances, and rem… - Clear rules to suspend or remove staff: mixed, low. Appointed officers and salaried employees not under state civil service can be suspended or removed for good cause, including incapacity, inefficiency, insubordination, or conduct unbecoming. The appointing authority may place an employee on paid administrative leave to protect the town while proce… - Clearer budgets, capital plans, and hearings: mixed, low. The Town Administrator must submit the operating budget 90 days and the capital budget 60 days before Annual Town Meeting. A five‑year capital plan is due at least 150 days before the fiscal year, with costs, financing, schedules, and operating costs. The Finance Committee must publish where to see… - New recall rules for town officers: mixed, low. Voters can recall an elected officer if a petition has ink signatures from at least 12% of voters from the last town election. After the petition is found sufficient, the recall vote is held 90 to 110 days later. No recall happens if the officer’s term ends within 150 days of that finding or if the… - Slower re-votes on failed Town Meeting articles: mixed, low. If an article fails at Town Meeting, it cannot go back on the warrant for 1 year. If a zoning article fails, it cannot be voted again for 2 years. The Planning Board can recommend bringing a failed zoning article back sooner. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bradley H. Jones Jr. (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bruce E. Tarr (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Sally P. Kerans (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 (19) - 2026-05-08: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 74 of the Acts of 2026 - 2026-04-30: Enacted and laid before the Governor (Senate) - 2026-04-30: Enacted (House) - 2026-04-29: House concurred in the Senate amendment (House) - 2026-04-15: Referred to the committee on Bills in the Third Reading (House) - 2026-04-13: Passed to be engrossed (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Amended (Tarr) by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text of S3053 (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Read third (title changed) (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Taken out of the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Read second and ordered to a third reading (Senate) - 2025-12-11: Read; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session (Senate) - 2025-12-08: Read third and passed to be engrossed (House) - 2025-09-22: Read second and ordered to a third reading (House) - 2025-09-22: Rules suspended (House) - 2025-09-22: 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) - 2025-08-14: Senate concurred (Senate) - 2025-08-11: Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (House) ## Bill text - Chapter 74 of the Acts of 2026, 2026-05-08: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4399.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 74 of the Acts of 2026 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4399.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-H4399-194 (as of 2026-11-01).