The following is a chronological list of the General Laws and Special Acts accepted by the Town of Rockland.
Town Meeting Date | Art. No. | Act/Law Accepted | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
4-3-1874 | 9 | c. 366, Acts of 1869 | Impounding of cattle |
4-3-1874 | 10 | GS c. 45, §§ 7 and 8 | Sidewalks |
4-3-1874 | 12 | c. 158, Acts of 1871 | Road Commissioners |
4-21-1874 | 8 | c. 169, §§ 1 to 3, Acts of 1869 | Betterments |
4-17-1876 | 17 | GS c. 24, §§ 18 - 20 | Paying firemen |
6-12-1885 | 2 | Act of the Legislature of 1885 | Water supply |
4-24-1886 | 2 | c. 139, Acts of 1886 | Water supply |
6-4-1889 | 5 | c. 265, Acts of 1886 | Precinct voting |
3-3-1890 | 25 | Act of the Legislature of 1888 | Water supply |
3-7-1892 | 30 | PS c. 27, §§ 74 - 77 | Election of Board of Road Commissioners |
9-29-1893 | 2 | PS c. 104, §§ 2 and 3 | Building construction [Revoked 9-22-1896 STM, Art. 2] |
3-5-1894 | 23 | c. 386, Acts of 1890 | Election of officers |
3-1-1897 | 17 | c. 56, Acts 1897 | Joint water works |
9-2-1898 | 2 | PS c. 101 | Dangerous buildings |
11-5-1912 | Question | c. 502, Acts of 1912 | Rules and definitions relating to deeds or other instruments |
6-21-1915 | 10 | RL c. 101, §§ 1 - 4 | Nuisances |
6-21-1915 | 11 | c. 284, Acts of 1915 | Annual Town meetings |
3-5-1917 | 11 | c. 295, Special Acts of 1916 | Memorial |
3-5-1917 | 24 | c. 338, Acts of 1913 | Sewerage and sewage disposal |
3-4-1918 | 21 | c. 140, Acts of 1917 | Fire Department chiefs |
3-1-1920 | 14 | c. 423, Acts of 1919 | |
8-19-1920 | 3 | c. 240, Acts of 1920 | Sports on the Lord's Day |
7-20-1922 | 10 | Public parks | |
3-2-1925 | 33 | c. 391, Acts of 1923 | Collection of water rates |
3-5-1928 | 32 | MGL c. 45, § 15 | Playgrounds |
3-4-1929 | 16 | Boxing exhibitions | |
3-4-1929 | 74 | Fire Department chief | |
3-7-1938 | 12 | c. 77, § 1, Acts of 1937 | Absentee voting |
3-10-1941 | 38 | MGL c. 31, § 48 | Police Department under Civil Service Laws |
3-2-1942 | 20 | MGL c. 31, § 49 | Chief of Police under Civil Service Laws [Rescinded 4-8-1989 ATM, Art. 37] |
3-11-1946 | 39 | MGL c. 39, § 22 | Election of officers |
12-16-1946 | 1 | MGL c. 136, § 4B | Bowling on the Lord's Day |
3-3-1947 | 8 | c. 559, Acts of 1946 | Pensions |
3-7-1949 | 8 | c. 588, Acts of 1948 | Pensions |
3-5-1951 | 15 | c. 820, Acts of 1950 | Pensions |
3-3-1952 | 11 | c. 781, Acts of 1951 | Pensions |
3-3-1952 | 16 | MGL c. 147, § 16C | Five-day week for police forces |
3-2-1953 | 22 | c. 624, Acts of 1952 | Pensions |
3-5-1956 | 15 | MGL c. 40, § 6B | Money for police uniforms |
3-5-1956 | 22 | MGL c. 40, § 8A | Establishing Development and Industrial Commission |
3-5-1956 | 61 | c. 670, Acts of 1955 | Increasing retirement allowances |
3-10-1956 | Question | MGL c. 32B | Group insurance plans |
3-4-1957 | 14 | MGL c. 33, § 59 | Pay for Armed Forces [Rescinded 4-13-1981, Art. 26] |
3-3-1959 | 19 | MGL c. 147, § 17A | Day off for police officers working January 1st |
3-3-1959 | 21 | MGL c. 48, § 57A | Day off for fire fighters working January 1st |
3-3-1959 | 48 | c. 427, Acts of 1957 | Pensions |
3-6-1961 | 39 | MGL c. 32, § 85 | Pensions |
3-6-1963 | 47 | c. 409, Acts of 1962 | Use of ways by pedestrians |
3-23-1956 | 45 | c. 478, §§ 1 - 6, Special Acts of 1963 | Pensions |
3-7-1967 | 48 | c. 223 and c. 40, § 80, Acts of 1957 | Appointing Conservation Commission |
3-5-1968 | 45 | MGL c. 262, § 53C | Compensation for court attendance by police officers |
3-5-1968 | 47 | MGL c. 85, § 11A | Registration of bicycles |
3-5-1968 | 48 | MGL c. 85, § 11B | Regulating operation of bicycles |
3-5-1968 | 64 | c. 611, Acts of 1967 | Assessor's records |
3-10-1969 | 63 | c. 138, Acts of 1968 | Increasing retirement allowances |
7-28-1969 | 10 | MGL c. 40, § 6J | Money for stormy weather work clothes |
4-6-1970 | 1B5 | MGL c. 147, § 17G | Work weeks of 5 days and 40 hours for police officers |
10-28-1970 | 3 | MGL c. 40, § 8E | Establishing Youth Commission |
4-6-1971 | 30 | MGL c. 41, § 108L | Police career incentive pay |
4-9-1973 | 39 | c. 344, Acts of 1970 | Paying police officers for off-duty work details |
4-9-1973 | 61 | MGL c. 41, § 100G | Payment of funeral and burial expenses of fire fighters and police officers killed in performance of duties |
4-2-1974 | 24 | MGL c. 90, § 20C | Parking violations |
4-7-1975 | 6 | c. 281, Acts of 1973 | Inspector of Health |
3-4-1978 | Question | Act of 1977 | Board of Selectmen |
4-10-1978 | 61 | c. 808, Acts of 1975 | Zoning Bylaw amendment |
4-9-1979 | 62 | Boxing allowed | |
4-10-1979 | 78 | c. 576, Acts of 1978 | Limited real estate tax abatements |
4-14-1980 | 56 | MGL c. 147, § 26C | Smoke or heat detectors required |
4-13-1981 | 53 | MGL c. 40, § 4G | Advertisements for bids or contract proposals [Statute repealed St. 1989, c. 687] |
4-12-1982 | 21 | MGL c. 138, § 12A | Alcoholic beverages |
4-12-1982 | 25 | MGL c. 90, §§ 20A1/2, 20C, 20D, 20E | Parking violations |
4-12-1982 | 28 | Appropriations for and expenditure of receipts from adult education and continuing education programs; Culinary arts; revolving fund | |
11-15-1982 | 3 | MGL c. 71, § 71F | Nonresident or foster care students; deposit of tuition payments and state reimbursements; expenditures and appropriations |
4-3-1984 | 28 | MGL c. 148, § 26G | Automatic sprinklers |
4-8-1986 | 33 | c. 597, Acts of 1982 | License plates for former POWs |
4-8-1986 | 39 | MGL c. 44, § 53E | Fees charged to users of services |
4-4-1986 | 75 | c. 308, Acts of 1985 (MGL c. 140, § 147A) | Dog licensing, control and regulation |
4-6-1987 | 6 | c. 73, § 3, Acts of 1986 | Property tax exemption |
4-6-1987 | 16 | MGL c. 41, § 41B | Payment of employees |
4-4-1988 | 17 | MGL c. 64G, § 3A | Hotel/motel tax |
4-3-1989 | 19 | c. 281, Acts of 1988 | Voter education and voluntary registration sessions |
4-2-1990 | 19 | MGL c. 44, § 53D | Recreation and Park Self-Supporting service |
11-13-1990 | 21 | c. 653, § 41, Acts of 1989 | Quarterly tax bills |
4-1-1991 | 7 | MGL c. 40, § 57 | Application denial for unpaid taxes |
4-1-1991 | 12 | MGL c. 44, § 53E 1/2 | Funding Council on Aging bus |
4-1-1991 | 45 | c. 42, § 4, Acts of 1988 | Deferral of sewer usage charges |
4-1-1991 | 52 | c. 291, Acts of 1990 | Enhanced 911 Service |
11-9-1992 | 7 | MGL c. 41, § 100G 1/4 | Funeral expenses for fire fighters and police officers killed in the line of duty |
6-7-1993 | 48 | MGL c. 83, § 16 A - F | Imposition of municipal charges liens in connection with sewer fees |
5-18-1998 | 16 | c. 481, Acts of 1993 | Alcoholic beverages licenses and sales |
5-18-1998 | 30 | c. 235, Acts of 1994 | Rights of fire fighters and police officers |
5-17-1999 | 12 | MGL c. 44, § 53E 1/2 | Revolving fund for firearms license and permit fees |
5-17-1999 | 26 | c. 194, § 419, Acts of 1998 | Intermunicipal agreement |
5-17-1999 | 93 | MGL c. 44, § 53F 1/2 | Sewer Commission Enterprise Fund [Rescinded 5-14-2002 ATM, Art. 64] |
5-13-2002 | 19 | MGL c. 148, § 26-I | Automatic sprinklers |
5-13-2002 | 31 | MGL c. 59, § 5, clause 17D | Real estate tax exemption for survivors of deceased parents |
5-13-2002 | 32 | MGL c. 59, § 5, sub. 41D | Real estate tax exemption for the elderly |
5-14-2002 | 44 | MGL c. 40, § 22F | Fees for licenses and services |
5-10-2004 | 34 | MGL c. 59, § 5, clause 41C, as amended by c. 184, § 51, Acts of 2002 | Adjust seniors' age and eligibility factors for senior citizens tax exemption |
5-8-2006 | 4 | c. 137, § 1, Acts of 2003 | Public employees serving in Armed Forces |
5-7-2007 | 44 | MGL c. 60, § 3D | Aid to the Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund; donate with tax bills; Taxation Aid Committee |
5-5-2008 | 80 | MGL c. 258, § 13 | Defense and indemnification of municipal officers |
5-4-2010 | 18 | MGL c. 59, § 5K | Reduction of property tax liability in exchange for volunteer services for persons over age 60 |
5-2-2011 | 34 | MGL c. 40, § 22D | Authorize Police Department to enforce parking violations related to obstruction/occupation of curb ramps and parking spaces for handicapped persons |
5-7-2012 | 61 | MGL c. 32B, § 20 | Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Liability Trust Fund |
5-6-2013 | 17 | MGL c. 59, § 5, clause 54 | Allowing Town to exempt certain personal property and to establish a minimum value of $1,000 for personal property subject to taxation |
5-6-2013 | 23 | MCL c. 64L, § 2(a) | Imposing a meals tax of 0.75% on the sales of restaurant meals |
5-6-2013 | 24 | MGL c. 64G, § 3A | Amending local room occupancy excise tax to the rate of 6.0% |
5-6-2013 | 26 | MGL c. 200A, § 9A | Disposition of abandoned funds; notice of period during which funds may be claimed; authorization of Treasurer to hear claims; appeal; disbursement |
5-2-2016 | 38 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 22F | Reduce the residency requirement on the property tax exemption for disabled veterans who were not domiciled in Massachusetts six months before entering the service from five years to one year before application, which shall apply to all veteran exemptions (Clauses 22, 22A through 22F) and will be effective beginning in Fiscal Year 2017 |
5-2-2016 | 39 | Massachusetts Community Preservation Act | |
5-2-2016 | 80 | MGL c. 140, § 139 | Waives fees charged for a license for a dog owned by a person aged 70 years or over |
5-7-2018 | 68 | MGL c. 64N, § 3 | Imposes a local sales tax upon the sale or transfer of marijuana or marijuana products by a marijuana establishment operating within the Town to anyone other than a marijuana establishment at the rate of 3% of the total sales price received by the marijuana establishment as a consideration for the sale of marijuana or marijuana products, or at any higher rate as authorized by law |
5-6-2019 | 8 | MGL c. 64G, § 3D(a) | Authorizing the imposition of a community impact fee on the transfer of occupancy of a "professionally managed unit," defined as one of two or more short-term rental units in the same town, operated by the same operator and which are not located within a single-family, two-family or three-family dwelling that includes the operator's primary residence, at the rate of 3% of the total amount of rent for each transfer of occupancy (Effective 7-1-2019) |
5-6-2019 | 9 | MGL c. 64G, § 3D(b) | Authorizing the imposition of a community impact fee on the transfer of occupancy of a short-term rental unit that is located within a two-family or three-family dwelling that includes the operator's primary residence at the rate of 3% of the total amount of rent for each transfer of occupancy (Effective 7-1-2019) |
5-6-2019 | 10 | MGL c. 39.§ 23D | Enabling any member of any municipal board, committee or commission of the Town when holding an adjudicatory hearing not to be disqualified from voting in the matter solely due to that member's absence from no more than a single session of the hearing at which testimony or other evidence is received, provided that before any such vote, the member shall certify, in writing, that he has examined all evidence received at the missed session, which evidence shall include an audio or video recording of the missed session or a transcript thereof, and the written certification shall be part of the record of the hearing |
5-6-2019 | 29 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 41A | Increasing the gross receipts that seniors may have in the prior calendar year to be eligible to defer property taxes from $20,000 to $40,000, with such increase to be effective for deferrals granted for property taxes assessed for any fiscal year beginning on or after 1-1-2019 |
5-6-2019 | 32 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 54 | Allowing the Town to exempt certain personal property and to establish a minimum value of $5,000 for personal property subject to taxation |
6-22-2020 | 35 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 22H | Granting a full exemption (applying to tax years beginning on or after 1-1-2020) for property tax to Gold Star parents or guardians of soldiers and sailors, members of the National Guard and veterans who have died or are missing in action/presumed dead (BRAVE Act) |
6-22-2020 | 36 | MGL c. 59, § 5N | Allowing veterans to volunteer to provide 125 hours of services to the Town of Rockland in exchange for a reduction in real property tax obligations on tax bills, in addition to any exemption or abatement to which veterans are otherwise entitled (VALOR Act) |
6-22-2020 | 37 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 22G | Providing real estate property tax relief in the form of an exemption to veterans who would have already been eligible for such exemption, even if the veteran has conveyed the property to a trust (BRAVE Act) |
5-1-2023 (Special Act Requested) 3-11-2024 (Special Act Approved by Legislature) | 71 | c. 50, Acts of 2024 | Authorizing the Board of Selectmen to serve as Cemetery Commissioners |
5-1-2023 | 77 | MGL c. 148, § 26H | Lodging or boarding houses; automatic sprinkler systems |
5-1-2023 | 79 | MGL c. 40, § 22F | Authorizing any town board or officer empowered to issue a license, permit, certificate or to render a service or perform work for a person or class of persons to fix reasonable fees for all such for all such licenses, permits, or certificates issued pursuant to statutes or regulations wherein the entire proceeds of the fee remain with the town, and to fix reasonable charges to be paid for any services rendered or work performed by the town or any department thereof, for any person or class of persons; provided, however, that in the case of a board or officer appointed by an elected board, the fixing of such fee shall be subject to the review and approval of such elected board |
11-7-2023 | 7 | MGL c. 41, § 110A | Office hours on Saturday |
5-5-2025 | 27 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 22I | Providing for an increase in property tax abatements granted for veterans under the provisions of MGL c. 59, § 5, Clauses 22A through 22C, 22E and 22F, equal to the cost of living as determined by the Consumer Price Index for such year |
5-5-2025 | 28 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 22J | Providing for an additional uniform real estate property tax exemption for those who qualify for an exemption under Clauses 22A through 22C, 22E and 22F, which exemption shall not exceed 100% of the exemption for which the taxpayer qualifies, and, further, to set the exemption for fiscal year 2026 and future fiscal years, unless Town Meeting determines otherwise, at 100% |
5-5-2025 | 29 | MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 56 | Allowing members of the Massachusetts National Guard or military reservists who are performing active duty under Title 10 of the United States Code for greater than 180 days to obtain a reduction up to 100% of their real and personal property taxes for any fiscal year they are serving in a foreign country, beginning in fiscal year 2026. The authority to grant abatements under this section shall expire after two years of acceptance unless extended by a vote of the Town. |
5-5-2025 | 30 | MGL c. 33, § 59 | Effect of military service on salary, seniority and leave allowances of public employees |