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H 4522

Sexual Grooming of a Minor

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by April Cromer

Concord may hold town meetings remotely, in person, or hybrid; remote/hybrid meetings must be recorded and publicly viewable for 30 days, with the same legal effect as in-person.

Referred to Committee on Judiciary
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Bill Summary · H 4522

Summary: H.4522 (Concord) - An Act authorizing remote participation at town meetings and special town meetings in the Town of Concord

Purpose

This local act authorizes the Town of Concord to conduct Town Meetings and Special Town Meetings with participants in-person at a common physical location, fully remotely, or in a hybrid format. The goal is to provide flexibility in how residents participate while preserving the legitimacy and outcomes of town meetings.

Key Provisions

  • Section 1 – Format flexibility

    • Notwithstanding General Laws, or other laws/charter provisions, Concord may hold Town Meetings and Special Town Meetings with voters located in a common physical location in-person, entirely remotely, or in a hybrid format.

  • Section 2 – Public recording and access

    • Any Town Meeting held completely remotely or in hybrid form must be recorded.
    • The recording must be publicly viewable for at least 30 days on the town’s website or another publicly accessible video platform.
    • The recording is a public record of the Town and may be disclosed upon request.

  • Section 3 – Legal effect

    • Actions taken at remote or hybrid Town Meetings hold the same legal effect as if the meeting had been conducted in person.

  • Section 4 – Effective date

    • The act takes effect upon passage.

Who is Affected

  • Residents and voters of the Town of Concord, including Town Meeting members.
  • The Concord Town government and its records/public communications (via the required meeting recordings).
  • The general public, which gains access to meeting recordings for at least 30 days.

Procedural/Timeline Details

  • Introduced: September 15, 2025
  • Filed: September 10, 2025
  • Referred to: Committee on Election Laws (Local approval noted)
  • Senate action: Senate concurred on September 18, 2025
  • Hearing: Scheduled for November 13, 2025, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM, in room A-2

Sponsor Information

  • Primary sponsors: Simon Cataldo (Concord) and Carmine Lawrence Gentile (Sudbury)
  • Cosponsor: Michael J. Barrett

Additional Context

  • Local approval status is indicated as received.
  • Related bill reference: HD 5127 (the docket version associated with this measure).

Practical Impact

  • Increases accessibility by allowing remote participation, which can broaden engagement and participation from residents who cannot attend in person.
  • Enhances transparency through mandatory public recordings of remote/hybrid meetings.
  • Maintains equivalence of outcomes between remote/hybrid and in-person meetings, ensuring decisions have the same legal effect.

This bill applies specifically to the Town of Concord and does not create a statewide change in town meeting rules.

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

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