Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 31, sec. 4 — MA Code / Part I / Title IV / Chapter 31 / Section 4
New or amended rules; hearings; publication
Status: in_force

Section 4. A new rule of the administrator and any amendment to an existing rule shall not be effective until after a public hearing relative to such change has been held by the administrator at least thirty days prior to such proposed rule change and until such change has been reviewed by the commission. Failure of the commission to reject by majority vote of all members such change within fifteen days of submission by the administrator shall authorize the administrator to issue such change. Not earlier than thirty nor later than fifteen days before such hearing the administrator shall send notice thereof to each member of the general court, to the mayor or city manager of each city and the selectmen of each town to which such rule or change relates, and shall also publish such notice on the websites of the administrator and the commission. Notices of the hearing shall also be sent, within the same period, to the clerks of the several cities and towns who shall post them in the city or town halls and other conspicuous places. There shall be posted by the clerk not less than three copies of such notice in every town and not less than one per ward in each city. Such notice shall contain information as to where copies of the proposed rule or change in rule may be obtained. After the hearing provided for by this paragraph, the administrator may issue such new rule or such change in an existing rule. The administrator, after the expiration of the review period without rejection, shall forthwith print such change and send a copy or transmit the entire revised set of rules via electronic media to the mayor or city manager of each city, the selectmen of each town, and to state appointing authorities to which such change relates, and to each member of the general court, and shall publish such new rule or change in rule on the websites of the administrator and the commission. Such publication shall specify the effective date of such new rule or change in rule, which shall be not less than thirty days subsequent to the date of such publication.

Section 4. A new rule of the administrator and any amendment to an existing rule shall not be effective until after a public hearing relative to such change has been held by the administrator at least thirty days prior to such proposed rule change and until such change has been reviewed by the commission. Failure of the commission to reject by majority vote of all members such change within fifteen days of submission by the administrator shall authorize the administrator to issue such change. Not earlier than thirty nor later than fifteen days before such hearing the administrator shall send notice thereof to each member of the general court, to the mayor or city manager of each city and the selectmen of each town to which such rule or change relates, and shall also publish such notice on the websites of the administrator and the commission. Notices of the hearing shall also be sent, within the same period, to the clerks of the several cities and towns who shall post them in the city or town halls and other conspicuous places. There shall be posted by the clerk not less than three copies of such notice in every town and not less than one per ward in each city. Such notice shall contain information as to where copies of the proposed rule or change in rule may be obtained. After the hearing provided for by this paragraph, the administrator may issue such new rule or such change in an existing rule.

The administrator, after the expiration of the review period without rejection, shall forthwith print such change and send a copy or transmit the entire revised set of rules via electronic media to the mayor or city manager of each city, the selectmen of each town, and to state appointing authorities to which such change relates, and to each member of the general court, and shall publish such new rule or change in rule on the websites of the administrator and the commission. Such publication shall specify the effective date of such new rule or change in rule, which shall be not less than thirty days subsequent to the date of such publication.