H 4578

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5198  FILED ON: 9/25/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4578
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _________________
  PRESENTED BY:
  Dennis C. Gallagher
  _________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
   Court assembled:
   The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
 An Act authorizing Bridgewater town charter amendment for gender neutral language.
  _______________
  PETITION OF:
NAME:  DISTRICT/ADDRESS:  DATE ADDED:
Dennis C. Gallagher  8th Plymouth  9/25/2025
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  HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 5198  FILED ON: 9/25/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4578
By Representative Gallagher of Bridgewater, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4578)
of Dennis C. Gallagher (with the approval of the town council) relative to gender neutral
language in the charter of the city known as the town of Bridgewater. Municipalities and
Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act authorizing Bridgewater town charter amendment for gender neutral language.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1Article II Legislative Branch
2Section 2-2. General Powers and Duties
3(c) Powers and Duties:
4(3) The council president shall be recognized as the official head of the town for all
5 ceremonial purposes and the council president, or his (change to; their) designee, shall represent
6 the town in its relations with other units of government.
7Section 2-12. Prohibitions; Term Limits
8(a) Prohibitions- No councilor shall, while a member of the town council, hold any other
9 town office or position. Elected charter commission membership shall not be considered to be a
10 town office or position. No former councilor shall hold any compensated appointive town office
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11 or town employment until 1 year after the expiration of his (change to; their) service on the town
12 council. This provision shall not prevent a town officer or employee who has taken a leave of
13 absence from such duties in order to serve as a member of the town council from returning to
14 such office or employment following service as a member of the town council. Any councilor
15 who has been finally convicted of a criminal offense involving misconduct in any elective or
16 appointive public office, trust or employment at any time held by him (change to: them) shall be
17 deemed to have vacated office and not be eligible to serve in any other elective or appointive
18 office or position in the town.
19Article VI. Financial Management
20Section 6-1. Annual Budget Policy
21The council president shall call a joint meeting of the town council, the regional school
22 committee chairman or his (change to: their) designee, the finance committee, the town manager
23 and any other committees established for the budget process, before the commencement of the
24 budget [process to review the financial condition of the town, revenue, and expenditure forecasts
25 and other relevant information in order to develop a coordinated budget.
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