| Chapter 315 |
| 2026 -- S 3316 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/24/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| REGARDING MOTIONS AT THE TOWN OF SCITUATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL TOWN MEETING |
Introduced By: Senators Rogers, and de la Cruz |
| Date Introduced: May 22, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| WHEREAS, The Town Council of the Town of Scituate on April 9, 2026 adopted a |
| resolution requesting that the general assembly enact the following provision relating to the annual |
| financial town meeting: |
| 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 $10,000.00 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 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 |
| budget recommended by the town council has been made no later than the fourth Thursday |
| in April immediately preceding the town meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in June, |
| and such budget recommendation has been posted on the town's website within seven (7) |
| calendar days thereafter, 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 any such motion shall be |
| included in the warrant required under § 45-3-8 or posted on the town's website at least |
| seven (7) days prior to such town meeting. 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 |
| the question at the election prescribed by section 2. |
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| LC006497/SUB A |
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