# Massachusetts S 2716: An Act amending the charter of the town of Rockland

Massachusetts S 2716, An Act amending the charter of the town of Rockland, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government; status signed, last action 2026-02-20 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 30 of the Acts of 2026) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-S2716-194
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Massachusetts S 2716
- State: Massachusetts
- Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act amending the charter of the town of Rockland
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-11-13
- Last action: 2026-02-20, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 30 of the Acts of 2026
- Sponsor: Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: Municipalities and Regional Government, House Steering, Policy and Scheduling, Bills in the Third Reading
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (5 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 16

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Charter basics and board member rules: benefit, low. Rockland remains a legal town government responsible for its duties and debts. The town may make agreements with other governments to share services. For elected multi‑member boards, about one‑third of members are elected each year unless the charter says otherwise. Appointed voting members must be…
- Elected treasurer, clerk, collector, assessors: benefit, low. The town has an elected Town Clerk, Treasurer, and Collector, each serving three‑year terms. Each may appoint an assistant who serves at their discretion and acts when the officer is absent. A three‑member elected Board of Assessors serves three‑year terms and oversees property assessments.
- Library trustees and planning board: benefit, low. A six‑member elected Board of Library Trustees serves three‑year terms. A five‑member elected Planning Board serves five‑year terms and chooses a chair and clerk. These boards oversee library services and local land‑use planning.
- Local health and water boards: benefit, low. A three‑member elected Board of Health and a three‑member elected Board of Water Commissioners each serve three‑year terms. If a majority declares a public health or water emergency, meeting‑frequency limits do not apply. This lets the boards act faster during emergencies.
- More open town board rules: benefit, low. Every multi-member board must adopt written procedures and file them with the town clerk. Boards must post proposed rules at least 7 days before adoption at town hall, on the bulletin board, online, and file a copy with the clerk. Each board must meet at least once a month, but can skip up to 8 wee…
- Parks and roads oversight: benefit, low. A three‑member elected Board of Park Commissioners serves three‑year terms. An elected Highway Superintendent serves three years and handles ordinary repair of public ways with the powers of a highway surveyor. These roles guide upkeep of parks and streets.
- Regular charter and by-law reviews: benefit, low. Within 30 days of the charter taking effect, the select board creates a by-law review committee. It must finish within 1 year, and the board must vote on the recommendations within 90 days. In years ending in 5, the board provides for a charter review; in years ending in 7 or 2, a by-law review. Co…
- Select Board and Administrator powers: benefit, low. The Select Board has five members serving three‑year terms and manages town affairs and property. It may issue permits and, with legal advice, handle claims for or against the town. The board can reorganize departments under the Town Administrator; moving unspent funds needs approval from both the…
- Stronger budget and capital planning: benefit, low. The town has a seven-member capital planning committee. Departments must send project requests by October 1 each year. The committee reviews projects over $50,000 or with a useful life of 5 years or more, and prepares an annual capital plan. A capital item cannot be voted unless reviewed or an expl…
- Stronger budget and finance transparency: benefit, low. The Town Administrator must present a written, balanced budget at a public meeting at least 90 days before the annual town meeting. A Finance Committee of 15 registered voters, serving staggered 3‑year terms and holding no other town office, must report on each budget item before any money is appro…
- Town appointments and police/fire chiefs: benefit, low. The select board appoints certain officials, such as town counsel, the emergency management director, some appeals board and election officers, and two members of the capital planning committee. Some appointments are made each year so about one-third of members turn over. The board appoints the pol…
- Town meeting dates, notices, quorum: benefit, low. An elected town moderator runs town meeting and rules on order. The town meeting is open to all voters and makes town laws. For the annual meeting, the Select Board closes the warrant 50 days before and posts it at least 14 days ahead. For special meetings, the warrant stays open at least 7 days af…
- Rockland Housing Authority structure and seats: benefit, low. The Rockland Housing Authority has five members: three elected to staggered five‑year terms (only one expires each year), one tenant member appointed by the Select Board, and one member appointed by the state housing office. The authority exercises powers under state housing law to oversee local pu…
- School committee and capital planning link: benefit, low. A five‑member elected School Committee serves three‑year terms and runs the public schools. The committee must appoint one member to the town’s capital planning committee. This links school needs to long‑term building plans.
- How recalls of local officials work: mixed, low. 500 qualified voters can start a recall by filing a sworn affidavit. The petition must be returned in 14 days with signatures from at least 15% of qualified voters on the affidavit date; registrars certify in 1 business day. If certified, the Select Board sets the recall election 60 to 90 days afte…
- Who can serve in town office: mixed, low. Any registered voter can hold elective town office. A person cannot hold more than one elected town office at the same time unless the charter allows it. Anyone removed by recall, or who resigned while a recall was pending, cannot be appointed to any town office for 2 years.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
- Cosponsor: David F. DeCoste (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: John F. Keenan (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-11-10 | committee | Committee Redraft: Ought to pass – by substitution of a New Draft | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (17)

- 2026-02-20: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 30 of the Acts of 2026
- 2026-02-12: Enacted and laid before the Governor (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Enacted (House)
- 2026-02-09: House concurred in the Senate further amendment (House)
- 2026-02-02: Referred to the committee on Bills in the Third Reading (House)
- 2026-01-29: Senate concurred in the House amendment with a further amendment, see S2932 (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-12-18: Read third, amended by substitution of a new text (H4866) and passed to be engrossed (House)
- 2025-11-20: Read second and ordered to a third reading (House)
- 2025-11-20: Rules suspended (House)
- 2025-11-20: Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting (House)
- 2025-11-19: Read; and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (House)
- 2025-11-19: Read second, amended, ordered to a third reading, read third and passed to be engrossed (Senate)
- 2025-11-19: Taken out of the Orders of the Day (Senate)
- 2025-11-13: Bill reported favorably by committee and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session (Senate)
- 2025-11-13: New draft of S2573 (Senate)
- 2025-11-13: Reported from the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chapter 30 of the Acts of 2026, 2026-02-20: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2716.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 4755: An Act amending the means tested senior citizen property tax exemption in the town of Sudbury (signed)
- 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)

## Sources
- [Chapter 30 of the Acts of 2026 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2716.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 4755: An Act amending the means tested senior citizen property tax exemption in the t…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-H4755-194)
- [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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-S2716-194 (as of 2026-11-01).