SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3145 FILED ON: 12/29/2020
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2993
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Barry R. Finegold
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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 relative to the Office of the Mayor in the city of Lawrence.
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PETITION OF:
NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS:
Barry R. Finegold Second Essex and Middlesex
Marc Laplante 29 Durso Ave, Lawrence 12/30/2020
Maria De La Cruz 26 Summit Ave, Lawrence 12/30/2020
Estela Reyes 88 Maple Street, Lawrence 12/30/2020
David Abdoo 54 Stevens Ave, Lawrence 12/30/2020
Celina Reyes 76 Coolidge Street,Lawrence 12/30/2020
Mayor Daniel Rivera 1 Thomas Road, Lawrence 12/30/2020
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 SENATE DOCKET, NO. 3145 FILED ON: 12/29/2020
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2993
By Mr. Finegold, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2993) of Barry R. Finegold, Marc
Laplante, Maria De La Cruz, Estela Reyes and others (with approval of the mayor and city
council) for legislation relative to the Office of the Mayor in the city of Lawrence.
Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)
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An Act relative to the Office of the Mayor in the city of Lawrence.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of subsection 11 of Section
2 4 of Chapter 425 of the Acts of 1983, or any general or special law to the contrary, if a vacancy
3 in the office of the mayor occurs in the year two thousand and twenty-one, the president of the
4 city council shall become acting mayor until the mayor elected in the regularly scheduled 2021
5 municipal election is provided the oath of office immediately upon certification of that election.
6 Upon the qualification of the president of the city council as acting mayor, his office of councilor
7 shall be appointed as provided for by the City of Lawrence City Charter, paragraph (a) or (b) of
8 subsection 9 of Section 3.
9 The president of the city council as acting mayor shall have all the powers of the mayor
10 and shall serve for the balance of the then unexpired term of the mayor.
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11 The council vice president, as the successor of the council president shall not receive any
12 added financial benefit for the remainder of this term.
13 The mayoral candidate elected in the regularly scheduled 2021 municipal election will be
14 immediately seated, administered the oath of office, and assume all the powers of mayor
15 immediately upon the proper certification by the board of registrars, and serve for the balance of
16 the then unexpired term of mayor.
17 The acting mayor, provided for by this petition, will resume their city council role for the
18 remaining term of the current city council term. The appointed city councilor filling the
19 president’s seat as provided by the City of Lawrence City Charter, paragraph (a) /or (b) of
20 subsection 9 of Section 3 shall immediately be relieved of their service once the oath of office is
21 administered to the elected mayor; and the former acting mayor resumes his/her elected duties as
22 a city councilor, resumes the role of President; and at which time the acting city council
23 president therefore resumes his/her role as the Vice President.
24 SECTION 2. It is hereby provided that the General Court may reasonably vary the form
25 and substance of the required legislation within the scope of the general public objectives of the
26 petition. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.
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