[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6207820,"mediaKeyId","3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c","parentId",3752476,"title","Medford mayor, delegation ask committee to favorably report home‑rule petition to adopt new city charter","audioSeconds",270,"startMs",1336000,"endMs",1606000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c&start=1336&end=1606","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c/thumbnail_1336000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6207820/Massachusetts/Medford-mayor-delegation-ask-committee-to-favorably-report-homerule-petition-to-adopt-new-city-charter","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207820-540f7384b92260afe63a7f51b12cccce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136993&Signature=MI-hAahiZTDJdZZV8pV93Pr3j2PTujCMQNVyNbWmFWogVJWuk1fUus4JhIjkFr3iUpJSygfFn32JiTzOEvCoZiQhTCH81NiptmTitP4K8WP4WGaMAmZPdkR-KGkudMJeWfO~Et2791cM9q4V6~4hW7mziO~yrMnBakmdaVeBcNbw3qr5WDpX~lJ0JZZJKPN3b9xC8QbV6jv3ZjL1Qdh6fXDlXsMXv8~J1PdgxmQhSBlqMJcqLuYqNi6vAQFVX7AJLuyBw-syXjZeaCMj8YkdHO1PtWsw8RleyKC3FghY3~huS22zmC8l~386usODioi-t8D1GIo9qvbgmDZMYIi04w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government","date","2025-06-10T00:00:00Z","article","Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo‑Chelminiak and members of the city's state legislative delegation urged the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government to report favorably on a home‑rule petition to adopt a new Medford city charter.

Mayor Lungo‑Chelminiak described the city's current charter as outdated and said the new document reflects nearly two years of public outreach conducted by a Charter Study Committee with technical assistance from the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston. “Medford's two‑page charter has not been updated for almost four decades,” the mayor said, and the new charter, she added, would “allow for robust dialogue, better representation, and engagement within our community.”

Delegation members including Leader Donato and Senator Jalen (members of the Medford delegation) told the committee the charter study committee held dozens of public meetings, surveys and listening sessions and the city council overwhelmingly approved placing the charter on the ballot. Leader Donato summarized the principal structural changes: the mayoral term would move from two to four years; the council would shift from an all‑at‑large model to eight ward councilors (one per ward) plus three citywide councilors; the school committee would remain elected at large; and the charter includes an initial five‑year review and subsequent decennial reviews.

Committee members asked procedural questions about recommended Secretary of State edits and about local adoption mechanics; no formal committee action was taken. Mayor Lungo‑Chelminiak and the Medford delegation asked the joint committee to report the home‑rule petition favorably so voters can decide on the charter at the November ballot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government - 6/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Medford officials told the Joint Committee that a new charter approved by the city's charter study committee and city council would modernize governance with ward representation, a four‑year mayoral term and periodic charter review; the delegation requested the committee's favorable report to place the question on the November ballot.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MA, Massachusetts","taxId",77682,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6207825,"Senator Cyr urges no‑cost pre‑service training for local boards to reduce legal risk and improve consistency",157,614000,771000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c&start=614&end=771","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c/thumbnail_614000.jpg","/articles/6207825/Massachusetts/Senator-Cyr-urges-nocost-preservice-training-for-local-boards-to-reduce-legal-risk-and-improve-consistency","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207825-3420a77a3338a73c033678cfab635bdd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136993&Signature=Kza9h~vgHqbb4DC1vlemdtdBGV2XmV~M5Ap8TeSM~i4HYV5vYYyuL03lW-k7Wf7HNuGgFHBPNJFFAD6jbhGLkl1omxVDC-kEnQYk8O1Yto36T8Nk65QmxDuoatxwMSHCDh2CNxsBIiMRkT4T1QG5T0etXKqimjGLuHoakwDA96zUht13j7xFB-lgscOvtYQ-zJis921kWwDTga3BpbXa6T2m7-UJ9xexBc3JdB~rjQGBuIee7d0nqIPvFL-fpvZkKP2aEnbN-I1nudEYypg2S7mxKKJKn2ZQbWbrI3nMr1wS4yfzLBE1dV6IkPuzuw2I08oIDtbNqtfnHtdqwvZ5lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Becca Rausch, chair of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, heard testimony from state Senator Lydia Cyr and others on legislation that would require pre‑service training for new members of local boards and commissions.

Senator Cyr described Senate Bill 1432 as “an act providing for pre‑service training for members of local boards and commissions,” and said the measure would require a no‑cost, structured training program for new volunteers. “This bill addresses that by requiring a simple, structured, and no cost training process for all new members of these local boards before they begin their service,” she told the committee. The bill directs the Department of Public Health, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities to develop annual, board‑relevant training in consultation with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and partner organizations such as the Citizen Planner Training Collaborative.

Cyr and several legislators emphasized the special importance of the proposal for small and remote towns, where volunteers often lack easy access to technical resources. “This is particularly critical for small communities,” she said, adding that accessible online delivery would be essential for island and rural communities.

Supporters argued improved training would reduce legal exposure from inconsistent board decisions and increase transparency and consistency in municipal land use and public‑health decisions. The committee took testimony and did not vote; chairs asked for written materials and implementation details to guide a future committee decision.","Senator Lydia Cyr detailed a bill to require free, tailored pre‑service training for new members of local planning, zoning and other advisory boards; supporters said accessible online training would help small towns and reduce successful legal challenges to board decisions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6207829,"Mass. committee hears sweeping animal‑welfare package on dangerous‑dog rules, citations, tethering and breeder oversight",1093,900000,1993000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c&start=900&end=1993","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3752476-99ed8d65c48b38e98bf1494d52be662c/thumbnail_900000.jpg","/articles/6207829/Massachusetts/Mass-committee-hears-sweeping-animalwelfare-package-on-dangerousdog-rules-citations-tethering-and-breeder-oversight","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6207829-b82738effffcac39a9b48aa7964829f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136993&Signature=kFKtXCG2nLBEBg8HhV62eCK-gkAjcw7yNWxLJP2xMeBI4Mdommsudy1RIs2NILolVpHXHpnb5azqSLcqSYHiWtOV1rM4JksQIzKOo2LcM7kvd2AhGr2HX7Dw4hyq3eZXsOr9oueXOOWZsqYZW3T6VKlKttBxv3XuqdQF5pdyx4MOEFko4Dbgkyx700CutqanPZnNW8paXnchSoI6HtQHWnU~H1c0obhrCjg~oLftPqCESXaFGjI3HY99N~LLxVS4hKNdmKHJus585oWYplu4NoFX2rr6jgV74FWoBwTVhlfT2~iSdrSBnPPXKQlxCBqQYNKxdBX109SvWRaV~qL~0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a hearing of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, state lawmakers heard hours of testimony on a package of bills that would change how Massachusetts handles dangerous and nuisance dogs, expand citation authority for animal control officers, tighten rules about tethering and shelter standards, and set minimum standards for dog breeders and pet sellers.

The proposals under review include House Bill 2342 (an act relative to dangerous dogs), Senate Bill 1459 (a Senate companion), Senate Bill 1190 (authorizing issuance of citations for cruel conditions for animals), House Bill 2253 / Senate Bill 1458 (updating animal health inspections and minimum standards for breeders), and Senate Bill 1460 (tethering). Supporters told the committee the package is aimed at improving public safety and animal welfare and closing enforcement gaps; opponents warned some language could limit accepted behavior‑modification tools used by professional trainers and create enforcement or due‑process problems.

“[The bill] is a thoughtful, necessary update to chapter 140, section 157,” Representative Sylvia told the committee, describing H2342 as a collaborative product of veterinarians, municipal officials, the MSPCA, animal‑welfare organizations and animal control officers. Dr. Angela Jasper McManus, who described being attacked by an off‑leash dog, urged expanded interim controls to keep animals restrained between an incident and a hearing. “When I called the police department to ask if the dog could be muffled until the dangerous‑dog hearing, they said they cannot require what is not in the law,” she said.

Animal control officers and municipal officials pushed for broader enforcement tools. Megan Sousa, chief animal control officer for Ipswich Regional Animal Control, said expanding the reach of Chapter 174E would let ACOs issue citations for substandard conditions affecting animals other than dogs and enable stepped enforcement short of felony cruelty charges. “This amendment would allow us a little more teeth, to continue to monitor and hopefully owners would make changes with monetary violations and citations,” Sousa said. Emmanuel Masiel, director of animal control for New Bedford and longtime leader of the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts, described recent cases tied to backyard breeders and chronic resource demands on municipalities.

The bills would also change tethering standards. Prael Patel of Humane Society of the United States recommended clearer, measurable definitions and said the tethering bill sets explicit shelter standards (including a proposed 100 square feet per dog), and would prohibit pinch, choke and prong collars for tethering. “The current law prohibits certain harmful tethering practices, but enforcement has proven difficult due to vague definitions,” Patel told the committee.

Not all witnesses agreed on technical standards. Stacy Ober of the American Kennel Club supported consumer protections (House Bill 2256) but opposed a universal 100‑square‑feet requirement and a blanket ban on leaving dogs outside and unattended, arguing that many working breeds require outdoor acclimation. Several professional trainers — including Jason Pergerson and Noel Cutler — urged the committee to avoid language that categorically bans tools such as prong or electronic collars, saying those tools, when used by qualified trainers, can prevent euthanasia and keep dogs in homes. “Although I believe this bill is well intended, it does threaten the ability of professional dog trainers and responsible dog owners to mitigate and manage dogs who have moderate to even severe behavioral issues,” Pergerson said.

Animal‑welfare organizations including the MSPCA and the Animal Rescue League said the bills restore enforcement parity between dogs and other species, allow earlier intervention to prevent cruelty, and would direct some fines toward the Mass Animal Fund to expand spay/neuter and wellness services; MSPCA attorney Lindsey Leger noted the commonwealth currently lacks a misdemeanor cruelty statute that applies to non‑dog species. Allison Blank of the Animal Rescue League described the Mass Animal Fund wait list closing and urged funding to support spay/neuter and wellness care.

The hearing produced no votes. Committee chairs said they would accept written follow‑up and additional briefs; witnesses promised to submit comparative state‑by‑state language and technical edits. The committee will consider the written materials and may schedule further testimony or markups at a later date.","Lawmakers and dozens of advocates and municipal animal‑control officers testified for and against multiple bills that would change dangerous‑dog procedures, expand citation authority for animal control officers, update tethering standards, and set minimum standards for breeders and pet sellers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Medford mayor, delegation ask committee to favorably report home‑rule petition to adopt new city charter

Senator Cyr urges no‑cost pre‑service training for local boards to reduce legal risk and improve consistency

Mass. committee hears sweeping animal‑welfare package on dangerous‑dog rules, citations, tethering and breeder oversight