This bill amends various sections of the General Laws to enhance municipal and local government operations, particularly focusing on remote participation in public meetings. It defines "remote participation" and allows public bodies to permit remote attendance, ensuring that all votes are recorded as roll call votes when any member participates remotely. The bill mandates public access to meetings and the development of standards for remote participation. Additionally, it establishes the Double Pole Municipal Fund to financially support municipalities and outlines the appointment process for non-provider members in health-related committees. Significant changes to procurement laws are also included, raising the thresholds for certain procurement processes and allowing cooperative purchasing agreements among public procurement units.

Moreover, the bill introduces guidelines for remote participation in town meetings, requiring requests to be submitted to the town clerk 48 hours in advance and mandating that meetings be recorded and publicly available for at least 90 days. It allows for the formation of regional boards of assessors and permits cities and towns to amortize disaster-related deficits over subsequent fiscal years. The bill also addresses financial management by allowing municipalities to spend federal or state grant reimbursements without further appropriation and mandates comprehensive information governance plans for managing public records. Additionally, it establishes new regulations for managing double poles, including compliance monitoring by the Department of Public Utilities and a dispute resolution process. Overall, the bill aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and public engagement in municipal governance.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 4-7, 17-3, 30A-20, 40-5B, 41-1B, 44-7, 44B-5, 71-7C, 94C-1, 138-33, 151A-28A, 268A-17