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H 5364

An Act further amending Holyoke's residency requirement

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Pat Duffy

The bill requires elected Holyoke offices to be held only by residents of Holyoke, creating vacancies if a officeholder moves away or is convicted of a crime punishable by imprison

Read second and ordered to a third reading
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · H 5364

Summary of Bill: H 5364 (196th? 194th General Court) – An Act further amending Holyoke's residency requirement

Note: This summary reflects the text and stated purpose of the bill as filed and acted upon in the Massachusetts General Court.

What the bill does (main purpose)

  • The bill authorizes Holyoke to further regulate residency requirements for elected offices established by or under the Holyoke city charter. In practical terms, it enacts or reinforces rules tying eligibility and continued service in city offices to residency within Holyoke.

Key provisions

  1. Section 46 of the Holyoke City Charter replaced

    • The entire existing Section 46 is deleted and replaced with a new provision:
      • “Any elected office established by or under this act shall become vacant if the incumbent ceases to be a resident of the city.”
      • “The conviction of the incumbent in any elected or appointed office established by or under this act of a crime punishable by imprisonment shall operate to create a vacancy in the office held by such incumbent.”
    • Two main triggers for vacancy:
      • The incumbent ceases to be a resident of Holyoke.
      • The incumbent is convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment.

  2. ** Clerical/Editorial changes**

    • The General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form to the bill, but with a requirement:
      • The Mayor and City Council must approve amendments before enactment by the General Court.
      • Amendments approved by the Mayor and City Council must be within the general public objectives of the petition.

  3. Effective date

    • The act takes effect immediately upon passage.

Who is affected

  • Elected (and potentially appointed) officials established by or under Holyoke’s city acts that would be subject to the residency requirement established or amended by this bill.
  • Holyoke residents currently serving in or seeking such offices, and those seeking eligibility in the future.
  • The Holyoke Mayor and City Council, given their authority over amendments related to the bill’s provisions.

Procedural/timeline aspects

  • History in the 194th Massachusetts General Court (2025-2026):
    • Referred to the Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (April 9, 2026).
    • Senate concurrence achieved (April 13, 2026).
  • Local approval noted: The petition indicates local approval by Holyoke’s Mayor and City Council as part of the legislative filing process.
  • Immediate effect upon passage, should the bill become law.

Practical impact

  • Clarifies and strengthens the linkage between residency in Holyoke and eligibility/continuation in office for positions created under the Holyoke city charter.
  • Creates vacancy triggers to replace any official who moves out of Holyoke or is convicted of an imprisonable crime, potentially affecting continuity of governance if residency changes occur.
  • Provides a mechanism for local authorities (Mayor and City Council) to approve amendments aligned with the bill’s objectives before final enactment.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language explainer for residents or a comparison with prior Holyoke residency rules.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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