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H4313 • 2025

An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield

An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield

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The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Berthiaume, Jr., Donald R.
Last action
2025-10-14
Official status
Referred to House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield

An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield By Representative Berthiaume of Spencer and Senator Durant, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield By Representative Berthiaume of Spencer and Senator Durant, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 4313) of Donald R.
  • Berthiaume, Jr., and Peter J.
  • Durant (by vote of the town) for legislation to authorize digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-14 House

    Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting for a second reading

  2. 2025-10-14 House

    Rules suspended

  3. 2025-10-14 House

    Read second and ordered to a third reading

  4. 2025-09-08 House

    Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling

  5. 2025-08-14 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 08/14/2025 from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM in Written Testimony Only

  6. 2025-07-24 Senate

    Senate concurred

  7. 2025-07-23 House

    Referred to the committee on Municipalities and Regional Government

Official Summary Text

An Act allowing "print-free" digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield
By Representative Berthiaume of Spencer and Senator Durant, a joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4313) of Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr., and Peter J. Durant (by vote of the town) for legislation to authorize digital legal notices for the town of North Brookfield. Municipalities and Regional Government. [Local Approval Received.]
Status:
Referred to House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Bill H.4313

SECTION 1. Purpose.

The purpose of this act is to allow the Town of North Brookfield, including the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Planning Board and all other elected or appointed boards and committees, or municipal officials, to satisfy the legal notice requirements entirely by digital publications in light of the lack of an available adequate print newspaper in the community.

SECTION 2. Process.

Where legal notice in a newspaper or a newspaper of general circulation is required by statute, bylaw, or judicial order, alternative means of posting such notice, as specified in section 3 of this Act, may be used if approved by a majority vote of the public body or at the discretion of the municipal official legally required to post such notice.

SECTION 3. Means of Legal Notice Publication.

Notwithstanding Massachusetts General Law c. 4 § 13(b) and subject to Section 2 of this Act, whenever legal notice in a newspaper or newspaper of general circulation is required by statute, bylaw, or judicial order, such notice requirement shall be satisfied by posting notice in one or more of the following places:

(A) A print newspaper of local or general circulation;

(B) A newspaper's website;

(C) Websites reporting local news and opinion which satisfy the criteria for digital publication as set forth in

G.L. c. 4 § 13(b);

(D) A statewide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices; or

(E) A townwide website that may be maintained as a repository for such notices.

SECTION 4. Legal Requirements.

Nothing set forth in this Act shall be construed to alter or amend the timing requirements of the publication of legal notices set forth in the Massachusetts General Laws, bylaw, or judicial order.

SECTION 5.

This act shall take effect upon its passage.

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