The following is a listing of General Laws and Special Acts accepted by the Town of Whately:
Year Accepted
Statutory Reference
Subject
1945
Ch. 723, Acts of 1945
Veterans' Service District established
1945
MGL c. 48, §§ 42 and 43
Fire Department eligibility for state moneys
1946
MGL c. 136, §§ 21 to 25
Sports and games on the sabbath
1954
MGL c. 71, §§ 16 to 16I
Regional School District
1965
MGL c. 40, § 8C
Conservation Commission established
1967
MGL c. 40, § 8C
Conservation Commission vote of 1965 revoted to correct statutory reference and confirm original appointments
1971
Ch. 433, Acts of 1971
Whately Water District established
1972
MGL c. 32B
Contributory group life insurance
1973
MGL c. 44, § 53C
Off-duty police work
1976
MGL c. 71
Franklin County Technical School District
1977
MGL c. 40, § 8D
Establishment of Historical Commission (amended 1978 to expand to 7 members)
1983
MGL c. 40, § 4G
Selectboard approval of expenditures
1983
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 17C
Expanded exemption from real estate taxation for widows
1984
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 41B
Tax exemption for the elderly
1986
MGL c. 71, § 40
Increase of teacher salaries
1987
Ch. 598, Acts of 1985
Late tax payments
1987
MGL c. 41, § 38A
Collector of Taxes to collect under title of Town Collector
1987
MGL c. 41, § 69B
Powers and duties of Water Commissioners
1987
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 41C
Expanded real estate tax exemption for the elderly
1987
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 17D
Expanded tax exemption for surviving spouses and elderly
1987
Ch. 598, Acts of 1985
Interest assessed for unpaid taxes
1989
MGL c. 64G, § 3A
Imposed local room occupancy excise of 0.4%; see amendment 2010
1989
MGL c. 40, §§ 44A through 44L
Franklin County Solid Waste Management District established
1989
MGL c. 44, §§ 53 and 53A; MGL c. 71, §§ 21, 26A through F, 28, 37A, 71, 71B, 71C and 71E
Special revolving fund established for educational purposes only
1989
MGL c. 59, § 57B
Interest assessed for unpaid taxes
1990
MGL c. 40, § 57
Revocation or suspension of license for neglect or refusal to pay taxes
1990
MGL c. 30B
Chief Procurement Officer authorized to enter into contracts
1990
MGL c. 40, § 8G
Authorizes Town to enter into mutual aid programs for police departments
1991
Ch. 291, Acts of 1990
Enhanced 9-1-1 service
1993
MGL c. 41, § 97A
Establishment of a municipal police department
1995
MGL c. 152, § 69
Authorizes Town to provide workers' compensation to Town employees
1997
MGL c. 40, §§ 6J and 6L
Allows Town to appropriate money for stormy weather work clothes
1998
MGL c. 59, § 2A
Allows assessment of buildings and other things erected between January 2 and June 30 as if they existing on January 1 of the fiscal year
1999; 2003
MGL c. 143, § 3Z
Part-time inspector of buildings, building commissioner, local inspector, or alternate inspector; other employment
1999
MGL c. 40, §§ 42A and 42B
Collection of water rates
2001
MGL c. 41, § 19K
Additional compensation for Town Clerk for attaining status of Certified Massachusetts Municipal Clerk
2001
MGL c. 41, § 108P
Additional compensation for Town Collector or Treasurer for attaining status of Certified Massachusetts Municipal Collector or Certified Massachusetts Municipal Treasurer
2001
MGL c. 41, § 108L
Career incentive salary increases for qualifying full-time police officers (Quinn Bill)
2003
MGL c. 143, § 3Z
Provides upon acceptance that any part-time inspector of buildings may engage in the business for which he is certified while serving as inspector, provided that he shall not exercise any of his powers and duties as inspector for the construction, alteration, repair, demolition, or removal work done by himself, his employer, or employees
2004
MGL c. 262, § 34
Town Clerk fees
2005
MGL c. 40, § 22F
Authorizing Town Clerk or any other municipal board or officer empowered to issue licenses or permits or render services to establish and amend fees
2005
MGL c. 54, § 16A
Authorizing Town Clerk to appoint an enrolled voter to fill the vacancy of an absent poll worker
2005
MGL c. 53, § 9A
Nomination papers
2006
MGL c. 32B, § 18
Requires all eligible retirees to enroll in Medicare Part B
2007
MGL c. 39, § 23D
Attendance of members of municipal boards at adjudicatory hearings
2008
MGL c. 44B, §§ 3 to 7
Community Preservation Act (accepted under Art. 15 of the Annual Town Meeting and Question 4 of the 11-4-2008 election)
2008
MGL c. 59, § 57C
Quarterly tax payment system
2009
MGL c. 61, § 2A
Taxes classified forest land as open space instead of commercial property
2009
MGL c. 61A, § 4A
Taxes classified land actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural or agricultural and horticultural uses as open space instead of commercial property
2009
MGL c. 61B, § 2A
Taxes classified recreational land as open space instead of commercial property
2010
MGL c. 64L, § 2(a)
Local meals excise tax of 0.75%
2010
MGL c. 64G, § 3A
Amend local room occupancy excise from 4% to 6%
2012
MGL c. 44, § 53F 1/2
Establish Water Department Enterprise Fund
2014
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 41D
Increase exemptions allowed under Clauses 41, 41B and 41C by a cost of living adjustment (COLA)
2014
MGL c. 32, § 20
Establish Other Post-Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund
2018
MGL c. 64N, § 3
Impose a local sales tax upon the sale or transfer of marijuana or marijuana products by a marijuana retailer operating within the Town to anyone other than a marijuana establishment, at a rate of 3% of the total sales price received by the marijuana retailer, said excise tax to take effect on July 1, 2018
2019
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 54
Establish an exemption for taxation on personal property taxation with an assessed value of less than $5,000, beginning in fiscal year 2020
2020
MGL c. 200A, § 9A
Authorizes Town to dispose of abandoned funds held in custody of the Town per procedure outlined by the statute
2020
MGL c. 41, § 111F, last paragraph
Create special fund, to be known as the "Injury Leave Indemnity Fund," to be expended by the Selectboard, without further appropriation, for payment of injury leave compensation or medical bills incurred under MGL c. 41, § 111F or 100
2022
MGL c. 40, § 5B, fourth paragraph
Establish a special purpose stabilization fund for money received from judgments or settlements in litigation or claims against opioid manufacturers or distributors
2025
MGL c. 59, § 5, Clause 22I and 22J
Adoption of the HERO Act optional tax exemptions