# Massachusetts H 4784: An Act providing for a town administrator in the town of Hopedale

Massachusetts H 4784, An Act providing for a town administrator in the town of Hopedale, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Brian W. Murray (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-14 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 81 of the Acts of 2026) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4784-194
- 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 4784
- State: Massachusetts
- Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act providing for a town administrator in the town of Hopedale
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-11-24
- Last action: 2026-05-14, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 81 of the Acts of 2026
- Sponsor: Brian W. Murray (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Municipalities and Regional Government, House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (11 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Administrator runs town operations and budget: benefit, low. The Town Administrator is the chief administrative officer. They carry out Select Board policies and manage personnel rules. They prepare the annual budget and a capital plan and give finance updates. They buy town supplies and negotiate contracts; the Select Board gives final approval. They recrui…
- New full-time Town Administrator role: mixed, low. The law creates a Town Administrator for Hopedale, appointed by the Select Board. Pay and benefits are set by a contract under state law. The Administrator must have proven municipal management experience and work full time. They cannot hold any other public office or do outside work that conflicts…
- Rules to remove or fill Administrator: mixed, low. The Select Board may remove the Town Administrator for good cause by a majority vote. The Administrator must get written reasons and a hearing; any contract rules also apply. If the office is vacant or the Administrator is on extended leave, the Board may appoint a temporary Administrator. A tempor…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Brian W. Murray (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-12-19 | committee | Committee Favorable: Ought to pass | pass | 11 | 0 |   |

## Bill text

- Chapter 81 of the Acts of 2026, 2026-05-14: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4784.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 5520: An Act exempting George Patrinos from the maximum age requirement age for the position of firefighter in the town of Dudley (signed)
- H 5429: An Act providing injured on duty compensation to Chelmsford firefighter Nicholas Spinale (second reading)

## Sources
- [Chapter 81 of the Acts of 2026 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4784.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 5520: An Act exempting George Patrinos from the maximum age requirement age for the p…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5520-194)
- [H 5429: An Act providing injured on duty compensation to Chelmsford firefighter Nichola…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H5429-194)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4784-194 (as of 2026-11-01).