# Massachusetts S 2859: An Act amending the charter of the town of Sandwich Massachusetts S 2859, An Act amending the charter of the town of Sandwich, is a 194th General Court (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading; status signed, last action 2026-04-16 (Signed by the Governor, Chapter 64 of the Acts of 2026) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MA-S2859-194 - 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 2859 - State: Massachusetts - Session: 194th General Court (2025-2026) - Title: An Act amending the charter of the town of Sandwich - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-12-11 - Last action: 2026-04-16, Signed by the Governor, Chapter 64 of the Acts of 2026 - Sponsor: Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Senate Bills in the Third Reading, House Steering, Policy and Scheduling - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Select Board powers, pay, and meetings: benefit, low. The charter updates titles to "select board" and confirms the board has all powers under state law. After each regular election, the board elects a chair and vice chair. The chair can call special meetings, and a majority can request one at a posted meeting. One board member may be designated to si… - Local threshold raised from 10 to 50: cost, low. The charter changes a number in section 3.7(b) from 10 to 50. It now takes 50, not 10, to meet that rule. - No school jobs for committee members: cost, low. School committee members cannot be employed by Sandwich public schools while they serve. After leaving the committee, they cannot hold a paid, appointed school job for 12 months. - Stricter rules for Select Board members: cost, low. Select board members must be qualified town voters and live in town while in office. They cannot hold any other town office or town job during their term, unless allowed by law. Former members face a 1‑year ban on paid, appointed town jobs or offices. Ex‑officio roles and service authorized by law… - Clearer budget info, modern meeting tools: mixed, low. Budget warrant items must show past actuals, current appropriations, next‑year requests, and finance committee recommendations. Each warrant article must include a short summary. The town may use any notice methods allowed by state law, and the direct‑mailing requirement is removed. The moderator u… - How board and school vacancies are filled: mixed, low. If a select board seat opens less than eight months before the next annual election, the board may call a special election or wait to fill it at the next annual election. School committee vacancies are filled by the select board and school committee under state law, and the appointee serves until t… - Library director hiring and contracts: mixed, low. Library trustees appoint the library director, except for positions covered by chapter 150E. Trustees may contract with the director. Any director contract must meet minimum standards set by the select board and town manager. - Rotation and terms for town committees: mixed, low. A board or committee cannot choose the same chair for more than two years in a row. Time spent finishing a prior chair’s unexpired term does not count. Committee members are either elected to staggered three‑year terms or appointed for a period set by the select board, unless state law or the chart… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Senate Committee on Bills in the Third Reading - Cosponsor: Dylan A. Fernandes (Democratic), Senate ## Actions (15) - 2026-04-16: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 64 of the Acts of 2026 - 2026-04-08: Enacted and laid before the Governor (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Enacted (House) - 2026-04-06: Senate concurred in the House amendment (Senate) - 2026-04-06: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Read third, amended and passed to be engrossed (House) - 2025-12-18: Read second and ordered to a third reading (House) - 2025-12-18: Rules suspended (House) - 2025-12-18: Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting (House) - 2025-12-18: Reported from the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (House) - 2025-12-15: Read; and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling (House) - 2025-12-11: Passed to be engrossed (Senate) - 2025-12-11: Substituted as a new draft for S24 (Senate) - 2025-12-11: Recommended new draft for S24 (Senate) - 2025-12-11: Reported from the committee on Senate Bills in the Third Reading (Senate) ## Bill text - Chapter 64 of the Acts of 2026, 2026-04-16: [PDF](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2859.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 64 of the Acts of 2026 (PDF)](https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2859.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) - [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-S2859-194 (as of 2026-11-01).