Bill Sponsors
Representative Robert J. Quattrocchi
Committee
House Municipal Government & Housing
Summary
Select
This bill changes the rules for the Town of Scituate's annual financial town meeting. It requires that any motion to increase or decrease a town council-recommended budget appropriation by $10,000 or more must be submitted to the town treasurer by May 15th with the signatures of at least ten registered voters. The bill also formalizes the meeting date as the first Tuesday in June. These changes will only go into effect if approved by Scituate voters during the November 3, 2026 general election.
Sponsor
Analysis
Pros for Progressives
- Ensures greater transparency in local government budgeting by requiring public notice before large financial changes are made at town meetings.
- Protects community public services and social safety net funding from sudden, unannounced budget cuts by requiring advance notice and signatures for large reductions.
- Maintains direct democratic participation by allowing citizens to propose budget amendments, provided they meet a modest threshold of ten signatures, ensuring community members still have a voice.
Cons for Progressives
- The requirement to gather signatures and submit advance notice creates an administrative barrier that could hinder marginalized or low-income residents from proposing vital budget changes.
- Restricting spontaneous large budget amendments during the meeting limits the ability of the community to rapidly respond to newly discovered needs or systemic issues.
- Delaying the implementation until the November 2026 election means the town cannot immediately benefit from the structured budgeting process if it is currently needed to protect local services.
Pros for Conservatives
- Promotes fiscal responsibility by preventing sudden, large, and potentially reckless spending increases from being passed at the town meeting without prior notice.
- Protects taxpayers by requiring a formal process and signature threshold before significant changes can be made to the town council's recommended budget.
- Defers to the will of the local voters by requiring the measure to be approved via a ballot referendum in the 2026 general election before taking effect.
Cons for Conservatives
- Limits the direct freedom of individual taxpayers to propose spontaneous, large budget cuts during the financial town meeting to reduce the size of local government.
- Places a new regulatory and procedural burden, such as gathering signatures and meeting deadlines, on citizens wishing to challenge the town council's financial decisions.
- The ten-signature threshold is relatively low, which might still allow small groups of activists to force votes on significant budget alterations that increase spending.
Constitutional Concerns
None Likely. The bill regulates the procedural rules for municipal budget meetings and introduces a modest signature requirement for ballot and motion access. These types of parliamentary and procedural requirements for local government meetings do not generally violate First Amendment or due process rights, as they are content-neutral mechanisms to ensure orderly town meetings.
Impact Overview
Groups Affected
- Scituate voters
- Scituate Town Council
- Scituate Town Treasurer
- Scituate taxpayers
- Scituate town clerk
Towns Affected
Scituate
Cost to Taxpayers
None
Revenue Generated
None
BillBuddy Impact Ratings
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Freedom Impact
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Public Services
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Regulatory
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Clarity of Bill Language
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Enforcement Provisions
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Environmental Impact
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Privacy Impact
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Bill Status
Current Status
Held
Comm Passed
Floor Passed
Law
History
• 05/13/2026 Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government & Housing
• 05/15/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/21/2026)
• 05/21/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
• 05/22/2026 Scheduled for consideration (05/26/2026)
• 05/15/2026 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (05/21/2026)
• 05/21/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
• 05/22/2026 Scheduled for consideration (05/26/2026)
Bill Text
SECTION 1. Section 4 of Chapter 1321 of the Public Laws Of, 1915, entitled “An Act Fixing The Time For The Election Of Officers In The Town Of Scituate” as previously amended by Chapter 3777 of the Public Laws of 1956, and by Chapters 225 and 312 of the Public Laws of 2022, is hereby amended to read as follows:
“Sec. 4. The town meeting for the ordering and disposing of taxes and consideration of all matters relating to the finances of said town, shall be held in the calendar year 2023 on the first Tuesday next after the first Monday in April at 7:00 P.M., and in the calendar year 2024 and thereafter on the first Tuesday in the month of June at 7:00 P.M., at which meeting the town moderator shall preside. The meeting shall be held in the town of Scituate at such location as the town council shall determine by resolution from time to time, unless the alternative provisions of § 45-3-4, are invoked by the town council. Provided that the appropriations recommended by the town council have been made no later than the fourth Thursday in April immediately preceding the town meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in June, no motion which increases or reduces an appropriation recommended by the town council by $10,000 or more, shall be in order at such meeting unless notice of intention to make such motion has been presented to the town treasurer with the signatures of not less than ten (10) qualified electors of the town no later than the May 15 immediately preceding said such meeting. Notice of such motion shall be included in the publication required under § 44-35-6. Provided notice of such motion has been made, then amendments made at such town meeting to such motion for any lesser amount may be considered at the town meeting.”
SECTION 2. The question of the acceptance or rejection of this act shall be submitted to the electors of the town at the general election to be held on November 3, 2026. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form: “Shall an act, passed at the 2026 session of the General Assembly, entitled ‘AN ACT REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING’ be approved?" and the warning for the election shall contain the question to be submitted. The Town Board of Canvassers may combine any two or more voting districts for the election and when so combined shall be treated as a voting district. If so combined, the Town Board of Canvassers shall advertise the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town. From the time the election is warned and until it is held, it shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to keep a copy of the act available at his or her office for public inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected by this requirement.
The town clerk of the town of Scituate shall forthwith after said town meeting certify to the secretary of state the result of this vote upon the question submitted.
SECTION 3. This section and section 2 of this act shall take effect upon passage, and the remainder of this act shall take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on LC006458 - Page 2 of 4 the question at the election prescribed by section 2.
“Sec. 4. The town meeting for the ordering and disposing of taxes and consideration of all matters relating to the finances of said town, shall be held in the calendar year 2023 on the first Tuesday next after the first Monday in April at 7:00 P.M., and in the calendar year 2024 and thereafter on the first Tuesday in the month of June at 7:00 P.M., at which meeting the town moderator shall preside. The meeting shall be held in the town of Scituate at such location as the town council shall determine by resolution from time to time, unless the alternative provisions of § 45-3-4, are invoked by the town council. Provided that the appropriations recommended by the town council have been made no later than the fourth Thursday in April immediately preceding the town meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in June, no motion which increases or reduces an appropriation recommended by the town council by $10,000 or more, shall be in order at such meeting unless notice of intention to make such motion has been presented to the town treasurer with the signatures of not less than ten (10) qualified electors of the town no later than the May 15 immediately preceding said such meeting. Notice of such motion shall be included in the publication required under § 44-35-6. Provided notice of such motion has been made, then amendments made at such town meeting to such motion for any lesser amount may be considered at the town meeting.”
SECTION 2. The question of the acceptance or rejection of this act shall be submitted to the electors of the town at the general election to be held on November 3, 2026. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form: “Shall an act, passed at the 2026 session of the General Assembly, entitled ‘AN ACT REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING’ be approved?" and the warning for the election shall contain the question to be submitted. The Town Board of Canvassers may combine any two or more voting districts for the election and when so combined shall be treated as a voting district. If so combined, the Town Board of Canvassers shall advertise the combination of districts in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town. From the time the election is warned and until it is held, it shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to keep a copy of the act available at his or her office for public inspection, but the validity of the election shall not be affected by this requirement.
The town clerk of the town of Scituate shall forthwith after said town meeting certify to the secretary of state the result of this vote upon the question submitted.
SECTION 3. This section and section 2 of this act shall take effect upon passage, and the remainder of this act shall take effect upon the approval of this act by a majority of those voting on LC006458 - Page 2 of 4 the question at the election prescribed by section 2.