# Massachusetts H 4445: An Act establishing a charter for the city of Somerville Massachusetts H 4445, An Act establishing a charter for the city of Somerville, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Thomas P. Walsh (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-09-19 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 31 of the Acts of 2025) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4445-194 - 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 4445 - State: Massachusetts - Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026) - Title: An Act establishing a charter for the city of Somerville - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-08-21 - Last action: 2025-09-19, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 31 of the Acts of 2025 - Sponsor: Thomas P. Walsh (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Bills in the Third Reading - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 18 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - City Council seats, terms, and meetings: benefit, low. The city council has 11 seats: 4 at‑large and 7 ward seats. Councilors serve two‑year terms starting the first business day in January after the election. Any voter can run citywide; a ward seat requires living in that ward. Each year the council elects a president to set the agenda and lead meetin… - Clear annual budget calendar and posting: benefit, low. The city's fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. Each year, the council holds a community budget hearing by February 15 with 14 days’ notice, and the mayor convenes a joint meeting by March 1 to review three-year forecasts. The school budget goes to the mayor on or about May 15; the full city budget… - Clear rules for city appointments: benefit, low. The mayor appoints the city attorney (two-year term) and a chief administrative officer, both subject to council confirmation. Rejecting a city attorney reappointment needs eight council votes; the mayor must submit a reappointment within 30 days of term end or it goes on the agenda. Within 180 day… - Committee to study ranked-choice voting: benefit, low. Within six months of charter adoption, the council creates a nine‑member committee to study ranked‑choice voting. The report must cover which offices to include, timeline, equipment needs, costs, comparisons, equity, and community education. Within 18 months of full appointment, the committee must… - Council reviews state law in 120 days: benefit, low. Within 120 days after the charter is adopted, the council must consider whether to accept section 91 of chapter 41 of state law. This sets a firm timetable to take up that decision. - Faster, clearer appointments to jobs and boards: benefit, low. When the mayor appoints a department head, the council has 30 days after the first regular meeting to reject with eight votes, or the appointment is confirmed. For boards and commissions, the council has 60 days to act or the appointment is approved. Twice a year, in February and August, the mayor… - Five-year capital plan and yearly audits: benefit, low. Each year around November 1, the mayor submits a five-year capital plan listing projects, costs, how to pay, schedules, and future operating costs. The council posts the plan, holds a public hearing 14 to 21 days later, and adopts or rejects it by December 1. The mayor may amend an adopted plan whe… - How vacant council seats get filled: benefit, low. If an at-large council seat opens with more than 180 days left, the next-highest vote-getter from the last election fills it if certified within seven days and willing; if not, the council calls a special election. If a ward council seat opens with more than 180 days left, the council must order a… - No overspending of city funds: benefit, low. City officials cannot knowingly spend more than what the city has legally budgeted or received. If an official overspends and the city cannot recover the money, that official is personally liable for the excess. This protects the city’s finances. - Nonpartisan elections, wards, and signatures: benefit, low. All city elections are nonpartisan; ballots show no party labels. Preliminary elections are on the second Tuesday in September of odd-numbered years; the clerk may move them to the third Tuesday with council approval to avoid a holiday. Candidates need at least 250 certified signatures for mayor, 1… - Open rulemaking and lawmaking checks: benefit, low. Every ordinance goes to the mayor; the mayor can veto, but the council can override with eight votes, and inaction for 10 days means approval. City agency reorganizations happen by mayoral order with public hearings; the council may disapprove within 60 days but cannot amend. City agencies must pos… - School committee structure and budget timing: benefit, low. The school committee has nine members: seven elected by ward, plus the mayor and the council president as ex officio members who cannot serve as chair. Ward members must live in their ward and serve two-year terms starting the first business day in January after the election. The committee hires an… - Smooth transition and legal continuity: benefit, low. All state laws, special acts, local ordinances, votes, rules, and regulations stay in force under the new charter unless they conflict with it. Officers and agencies keep working until successors are in place, and all records, property, contracts, taxes, and legal actions continue. A listed set of… - Stronger mayor role and clear succession: benefit, low. The mayor is the full-time chief executive, elected citywide for a two-year term that starts the first business day in January. The mayor alone signs city deeds, leases, contracts, and agreements. The mayor is a nonvoting member of all appointed boards and can join discussions, including executive… - Voters choose four-year mayor term: benefit, low. The city clerk must place a question on the November 4, 2025 ballot, or the next regular city election that meets state rules, asking whether to make the mayor’s term four years. It takes effect only if a majority votes yes. If approved, the four‑year term starts with the term beginning in January… - Voters decide Somerville charter in 2025: benefit, low. Somerville remains a municipal corporation named the City of Somerville. The city clerk must put the special act charter question on the November 4, 2025 ballot, or the next regular city election that meets state rules. Sections 1–7 take effect only if a majority votes yes. Section 8 takes effect u… - Ethics and pay limits for city leaders: cost, low. Sitting councilors may not hold another paid city job. A former councilor faces a one‑year ban on paid appointed city jobs unless eight councilors vote to waive it. Any change to council pay needs eight yes votes, must be passed before the last six months of the term, and only takes effect after th… - Council may seek outside legal advice: mixed, low. The council can hire outside lawyers for advice if money is appropriated. These lawyers cannot represent the city in court or issue formal city opinions. The city solicitor remains the city’s legal officer. The mayor should not unreasonably deny reasonable requests. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Thomas P. Walsh (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Christine P. Barber (Democratic), House ## Actions (12) - 2025-09-19: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 31 of the Acts of 2025 - 2025-09-11: Enacted and laid before the Governor (Senate) - 2025-09-11: Enacted (House) - 2025-09-11: House concurred in the Senate amendment (House) - 2025-09-11: Referred to the committee on Bills in the Third Reading (House) - 2025-09-11: Passed to be engrossed (Senate) - 2025-09-11: Amended (Jehlen) by striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text of S2604 (Senate) - 2025-09-11: Read third (Senate) - 2025-09-11: Taken out of the Orders of the Day (Senate) - 2025-08-25: Read, rules suspended, read second and ordered to a third reading (Senate) - 2025-08-21: Passed to be engrossed (House) - 2025-08-21: Substituted for H4264 (House) ## Bill text - Chapter 31 of the Acts of 2025, 2025-09-19: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4445.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 31 of the Acts of 2025 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4445.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-H4445-194 (as of 2026-11-01).