reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34a - County Charter Procedures › Section 13 - Optional Forms of Government, Referendum; Special Charter, Enabling Legislation

Section 13. (A) If the charter commission shall have recommended the adoption of one of the optional forms of government authorized by this chapter, the charter commission shall notify the state secretary by the first Wednesday in August to place the following referendum question on the election ballot:
''Shall the (designate the caption of section ___ of the County Charter Procedures Act) be adopted for ___ county, with the provision for a board of commissioners of ___ members elected for (concurrent or non-concurrent as the case may be) terms and elected (at large, or from districts)?''
The question shall appear on the ballot at the next biennial state election. At such election, the referendum question shall appear on the ballot in the same manner as other public questions are printed on the ballot. The attorney general shall prepare the summary to accompany such question.
(B) If the charter commission shall have proposed a special charter, it shall be the duty of the commission to petition the legislature forthwith for a special law or laws, pursuant to the state constitution and in the manner provided by general enabling legislation thereunder, to carry out the recommendations of the charter commission.
Upon enactment of such enabling legislation, the special charter shall be submitted to the voters of the petitioning county for adoption in a manner provided in subsection (A), or as may otherwise be appropriate. No special charter shall become operative unless approved by a majority of all votes cast on the question.
(C) If the charter commission shall have proposed any recommendations pursuant to clause (iv) of the first paragraph of subsection (A) of section twelve, it shall be the duty of the commission to petition the legislature forthwith for a special law or laws pursuant to the state constitution and in the manner provided by general enabling legislation thereunder, to carry out such recommendations of the charter commission, provided, that upon enactment of such enabling legislation, the legislation implementing such recommendations shall be submitted to the voters of the petitioning county for adoption in a manner provided in said subsection (A) or as may otherwise be appropriate. No such legislation shall become effective until approved by a majority of all votes cast on the question of adoption.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34a - County Charter Procedures › Section 14 - Petitions for Adoption or Revision of Charters

Section 14. (a) The charter may be revised in the same manner as provided for in its original adoption by section three.
(b) A petition for the adoption or revision of a charter shall conform with the requirements of subsection (c) and shall have a sentence in substantially the following form at the top of each page.
Each of the undersigned requests that the county revise its present charter or adopt a new charter, and each of the undersigned certifies that he is a registered voter of said county whose residence addresses at the times set forth below were as shown below, and that he has not signed this petition more than once.
(c) The state secretary shall prescribe the form of all petitions under this chapter. Section seven of chapter fifty-three shall apply to all such petitions. No petition shall contain or be accompanied by any indication of party or political designation.
(d) Duplicate certificates shall be prepared setting forth any charter revisions approved, and shall be signed by the state secretary. One such certificate shall be deposited in the office of the state secretary and another shall be recorded in the records of the county and deposited among its archives. All courts may take judicial notice of the charter and charter revisions of the county.
The executive body of the county shall, at intervals of not greater than ten years, cause the charter of said county as revised to be reprinted for distribution to such registered voters of said county as may apply therefor at the office of the executive body of the county. Acts of the general court which are included in such charter may be referred to by appropriate subject headings and statutory citations instead of being set forth at length. Copies of said document may be sold at a price not to exceed the cost of paper, printing and binding thereof, plus mailing charges if any, as determined by the county executive body.
(e) A new charter or charter revision approved by a majority of the voters of the county voting thereon shall take effect on the day specified in such charter or revision. If two or more charter adoption or revision proposals are submitted to the voters in the alternative and are approved, only the alternative proposal receiving the highest number of affirmative votes shall take effect. If two or more charter adoption or revision proposals containing conflicting provisions are submitted to the voters, but not as alternatives, and are approved, all such proposals shall take effect, but the proposal receiving the highest number of affirmative votes shall be construed to prevent all conflicting provisions contained in other proposals from taking effect.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34a - County Charter Procedures › Section 15 - Application of Optional Plans and General Laws; Abolition or Consolidation of Agencies; Intent of Chapter

Section 15. (A.) Upon adoption by the registered voters of any county, except Barnstable county of any optional form of government set forth in this chapter, the county shall thereafter be governed by the plan adopted, by the provisions of this chapter applicable to all optional plans and by all general laws, subject to provisions of this chapter.
(B.) For the purposes of this chapter, a ''general law'' shall be deemed to be such a law or part thereof, heretofore or hereafter enacted, that:
(i) is not inconsistent with this chapter; and (ii) is by its terms applicable to or available to all counties, or, (iii) is applicable to all counties or to any category or class of counties and deals with one or more of the following subjects: the administration of the judicial system, education, elections, health, county public authorities, taxation, finance and welfare.
(C.) Except as it relates to judicial or penal administration, or the administration of the registry of deeds nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent counties from abolishing or consolidating agencies the existence of which has heretofore been mandated by general law provided that if such abolition or consolidation shall alter the obligation of the county to continue services theretofore rendered by such abolished or consolidated agency, said alteration must be approved by the general court prior to taking effect.
(D.) The intent of this chapter is to enable a county that has adopted a charter pursuant to this chapter to cause any duty that has been mandated to it by the General Laws to be performed in the most efficient and expeditious manner, and, absent a clear legislative declaration to the contrary, without regard to organizational structural, or personnel provisions contained in prior general law, and further, the intent of this chapter is to encourage a review of the functions which a county provides.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 1 - Transfer Date for Abolished Counties

Section 1. The government of each of the following counties, in this chapter called an ''abolished county'' is hereby abolished as of the following date, in this chapter called the ''transfer date'', or on such earlier date 30 days after the commissioner of revenue certifies in writing that the county has failed to make a required payment on an outstanding bond or note: (a) Middlesex county, as of July 11, 1997; (b) Hampden and Worcester counties, as of July 1, 1998; (c) Hampshire county, as of January 1, 1999; provided, however, that all functions, duties and responsibilities for the operation and management of the jail, house of correction and registry of deeds of Hampshire county and all duties and responsibilities for operation and management of property occupied primarily by the sheriff, registry of deeds and the trial courts in Hampshire county are hereby transferred to the commonwealth, effective September 1, 1998, subject to the provisions of this chapter; (d) Essex county as of July 1, 1999; and (e) Berkshire county on July 1, 2000, but all functions, duties and responsibilities for the operation and management of the registries of deeds of Suffolk and Berkshire counties and all duties and responsibilities for the operation and management of property occupied primarily by the registries of deeds in Berkshire and Suffolk counties are hereby transferred to the commonwealth, effective on July 1, 1999, subject to the provisions of this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 2 - Governments of Abolished Counties

Section 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the government of each abolished county, except the office of county treasurer, is hereby abolished as of the transfer date for all purposes, including, but not limited to, the purposes established pursuant to chapters 34, 34A, 35 and 36 or as otherwise authorized by this chapter. The office of an abolished county's treasurer shall expire on December 31, 2002. Nothing in this chapter shall affect the existing county boundaries.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 3 - County Commissioners; Terms

Section 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the terms of an abolished county's commissioners shall expire upon the transfer date. There shall be no increase in the salaries of any abolished county's elected officials, prior to the transfer of the abolished county to the commonwealth. An abolished county's advisory board shall be eliminated upon the transfer date.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 4 - Abolished Counties' Functions, Duties and Responsibilities Transferred to Commonwealth; Employees Transferred Under Administrative Office of Trial Court

Section 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, all functions, duties and responsibilities of an abolished county pursuant to this chapter including, but not limited to, the operation and management of the county jail and house of correction, the registry of deeds and the courthouses are hereby transferred from said county to the commonwealth on the transfer date or, in the case of Hampshire county, September 1, 1998, or, in the case of the Suffolk and Berkshire counties' registries of deeds, on July 1, 1999, subject to the provisions of this chapter.
All persons employed by the former Franklin county or by an abolished county, or by Hampshire county as of September 1, 1998, whose work functions primarily concern the operation and maintenance of said county's court facilities shall be transferred to the commonwealth under the administrative office of the trial court as of the effective date of the transfer, which in the case of Hampshire county shall be September 1, 1998, in the manner provided in section 21 of chapter 203 of the acts of 1988, and with no impairment of employment rights held immediately before transfer, without interruption of service, without loss of earned vacation and sick time, without reduction in compensation or salary grade, and without impairment of seniority, retirement or other rights of employees. Nothing in this section shall be construed to confer upon any employee any right not held immediately before the transfer. Said employees shall be reclassified as state employees for the fiscal year in which their transfer is effective, and shall be compensated from funds appropriated to the trial court.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 5 - Liabilities, Debts and Assets of Abolished Counties

Section 5. All valid liabilities and debts of an abolished county which are in force immediately before the transfer date shall be obligations of the commonwealth as of the transfer date, except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter. All assets, including revenue received pursuant to chapter 64D and such other revenue said county receives as of immediately before the transfer date shall become assets and revenue of the commonwealth, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
All valid liabilities and debts of the Suffolk and Berkshire counties' registries of deeds which are in force immediately before July 1, 1999 shall be obligations of the commonwealth on July 1, 1999 except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter. All assets of said registries, including revenue received pursuant to paragraph (2) of section 12 of chapter 64D, and such other revenues received as of immediately before July 1, 1999, shall become assets and revenues of the commonwealth except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
The registries of deeds in Berkshire county shall, until the transfer date of Berkshire county pursuant to section 1, forward to the county commissioners in Berkshire county the deeds revenues that are necessary for the continued operation of Berkshire county government as certified by the county government finance review board; provided, however, that the secretary of administration and finance shall first certify that the commonwealth shall collect and retain sufficient revenue during fiscal year 2000 to fully fund the operations of said registries of deeds.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 7 - Leases and Contracts of Abolished Counties

Section 7. All valid leases and contracts of an abolished county which are in force immediately before the transfer date shall be obligations of the commonwealth as of the transfer date and the commonwealth shall have authority to exercise all rights and enjoy all interests conferred upon the county by said leases and contracts except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter.
All valid leases and contracts of the Suffolk and Berkshire counties' registries of deeds which are in force immediately before July 1, 1999 shall be obligations of the commonwealth as of July 1, 1999 and the commonwealth may exercise all rights and enjoy all interests conferred upon the county by such leases and contracts except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 9 - Treasurers of Abolished Counties

Section 9. The treasurer of an abolished county shall cooperate with the secretary of administration and finance in effecting the orderly transfer of assets, liabilities, personnel, functions, duties and responsibilities from an abolished county or from the Suffolk and Berkshire registries of deeds to the commonwealth. For the duration of his term, said treasurer shall continue to occupy at no cost the office space occupied by the office of the county treasurer immediately before the transfer date.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 11 - Rights of Employees of Registries of Deeds

Section 11. The rights of all employees of each registry of deeds of an abolished county and Hampshire county and the Suffolk and Berkshire county registries of deeds shall continue to be governed by the terms of collective bargaining agreements, as applicable, including employees transferred to the office of the state secretary.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 12 - Sheriffs of Abolished Counties

Section 12. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the sheriff of an abolished county, including Franklin county, in office immediately before the transfer date, and, in Hampshire county, on September 1, 1998 shall become an employee of the commonwealth with salary to be paid by the commonwealth. The sheriff shall remain an elected official under the provisions of section 159 of chapter 54. Said sheriff shall operate pursuant to the provisions of chapter 37. Such sheriff shall retain administrative and operational control over the office of the sheriff, the jail, and the house of correction as of the transfer date. Said administrative and operational control shall include, but not be limited to, the procurement of supplies, services and equipment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 13 - Employees of Sheriffs of Abolished Counties

Section 13. An employee of a sheriff of an abolished county, or of Hampshire county after August 31, 1998 shall be an ''employee'' or ''public employee'' as defined in section 1 of chapter 150E and the sheriff of such county shall be an ''employer'' or ''public employer'' as defined in said section 1 of said chapter 150E. A collective bargaining agreement negotiated by each such sheriff shall be submitted to the governor in conformity with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 7 of said chapter 150E.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 15 - Statutory Rights of Employees of Abolished Counties

Section 15. All officers and employees of an abolished county or of Hampshire county or of the Suffolk and Berkshire counties' registries of deeds transferred to the service of the commonwealth or a regional retirement system shall be transferred without impairment of seniority, retirement or other statutory rights of employees, without reduction in compensation or salary grade and without change in union representation, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. Any collective bargaining agreement in effect for such transferred employees immediately before the transfer date shall continue as if the employees had not been so transferred, until the expiration date of such collective bargaining agreement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to confer upon any employee any right not held immediately prior to the date of said transfer, or to prohibit any reduction of salary or grade, transfer, reassignment, suspension, discharge, layoff or abolition of position not prohibited prior to such date.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 17 - Education Aid for Independent Agricultural and Technical Schools

Section 17. The amount of state education aid for an independent agricultural and technical school, established pursuant to chapter 74A, shall be supplemented, in the first fiscal year of establishment, with a state appropriation for 50 per cent of the local assessment required of cities and towns with students enrolled in said school, and in the second fiscal year, with a state appropriation for 25 percent of such local assessment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 21 - Secretary of Administration and Finance; Plans for Effective Transfer of County Functions to Commonwealth

Section 21. The secretary of administration and finance, in consultation with the comptroller, the state secretary, the judiciary, and such other departments of the commonwealth as may be necessary or appropriate, shall make such plans and arrangements as may be necessary to ensure the effective transfer of county functions to the commonwealth pursuant to this chapter.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government › Section 22 - Municipalities of Abolished Counties; Dog Funds

Section 22. Notwithstanding the provisions any general or special law to the contrary, the municipalities of an abolished county shall be deemed to have accepted the provisions of section 147A of chapter 140, and shall enact by-laws to provide for the functions performed by the abolished government of a county with respect to dogs pursuant to sections 136A to 174D, inclusive, of said chapter 140, as of July 11, 1997. The balance of funds remaining in the dog fund of an abolished county as of the transfer date shall be disbursed forthwith by the state treasurer in the manner prescribed by section 172 of said chapter 140 to the treasurer of each city and town, who shall maintain a separate dog fund consistent with the by-laws adopted by the city or town and said sections 136A to 174D, inclusive, of said chapter 140.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 1 - Qualifications; Election; Tenure

Section 1. In Suffolk county the treasurer of Boston, and in Nantucket county the treasurer of the town of Nantucket, shall be the county treasurer. In all other counties, a treasurer, who shall be a resident of the county, shall be elected as provided in section one hundred and sixty of chapter fifty-four, for the term of six years beginning with the first Wednesday of January following his election and until his successor is qualified. No incumbent of the office of attorney general, district attorney, justice of the superior court, clerk of the courts or sheriff shall be county treasurer.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 2 - Assistant Treasurer; Bond; Duties

Section 2. In any county, except Suffolk and Nantucket, the county treasurer may appoint an assistant in his office, who has served therein for at least one year, as assistant treasurer, removable at his pleasure. The assistant treasurer shall give bond, and the provisions of the second sentence of section three shall apply to such bond.
If the treasurer is unable to act, the assistant treasurer shall perform his duties. If both the treasurer and the assistant treasurer are unable to act, the county commissioners may appoint a temporary treasurer, who shall hold office until the treasurer or assistant treasurer is able to resume his duties. The temporary treasurer shall give bond, and the provisions of the second sentence of section three shall apply to such bond.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 3 - Oaths; Bonds

Section 3. County treasurers, except in Suffolk and Nantucket counties, shall be sworn before the county commissioners, who shall make a record thereof. Each treasurer shall give an annual bond to the county for the faithful performance of his official duties, in a form approved by the attorney general, with a surety company authorized to transact business in the commonwealth, as surety, and in such sum as the commissioners shall approve. An attested copy thereof and a certificate of the commissioners that the original is in their possession shall be filed with the state secretary within one week after its approval. Suit thereon may be brought in the name and for the benefit of the county by the commissioners or by the attorney general. The bond required herein shall cover the duties of the treasurer with respect to trust funds and funds of retirement systems which are in his custody by virtue of his office, and any such funds, for the purposes of said bond, shall be deemed to be public funds.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 7 - Commissioners Acting by Appointment; Compensation; Travel Expenses

Section 7. The treasurer shall be provided by the county with an office and shall be allowed such clerical assistance as shall be approved by the county commissioners with compensation payable by the county.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 8 - Traveling Expenses

Section 8. The county treasurer shall be paid his actual and proper traveling expenses incurred in the transaction of county business. An itemized statement thereof shall, on the first day of each month, be certified to the commissioners, by whom it shall be audited and approved.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 9 - Wilful Violation of Duty; Penalties

Section 9. For wilful violation of a duty imposed by law, a county treasurer shall forfeit not less than fifty nor more than one thousand dollars, recoverable at the suit of the attorney general to the use of the county.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 10 - Collection and Disbursement of County Funds; Investment of Funds

Section 10. The treasurer shall collect, receive and safely keep all money belonging to the county, and disburse it according to law. He shall not make payments to the county commissioners or associate commissioners to be disbursed by them in behalf of the county. He shall pay all claims against his county within thirty days after their allowance. He may pay any claim by a bank check which, when paid and returned, shall be a sufficient receipt therefor.
All monies held in the name of a county or a county retirement system, or any other account under the jurisdiction of a county government, or by a county officer, which are not required to be kept liquid for purposes of distribution for the thirty-day period next following, shall be invested in such a manner as to require the payment of interest on the money at the highest possible rate reasonably available. It shall be the fiduciary duty of all officers of a county government who control the investment of such funds to invest them prudently so as to accrue the highest amount of interest reasonably available on such funds.
No officer of a county shall accept a loan or other thing of value from any institution or business where he has, as a part of his official duties, invested or committed county funds.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 12 - Expenses of Court Sittings; Court Costs for Indigent Parties; Delivery of Bills to Treasurer

Section 12. Original bills or vouchers for services and expenses incident to the sittings of the supreme judicial or superior court under section eight of chapter two hundred and thirteen or for court costs for indigent parties in the supreme judicial, appeals, or superior courts, or in any probate, district, municipal, juvenile or housing court under section twenty-seven A to twenty-seven G, inclusive, of chapter two hundred and sixty-one, shall be delivered to the state treasurer.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 14 - Statement of Law Authorizing Payment of Accounts; Liability for Payments; Exceptions

Section 14. The treasurer may, before payment of an account rendered against the county by a county officer, in writing require of him a written statement of the specific provision of law authorizing it, which shall be filed with the vouchers. The treasurer shall be personally liable for money paid out by him, except when specifically required by law, unless there is an unexpended balance of an appropriation made therefor sufficient for such payment, except as provided in section thirty-four, and for any money paid by him without the voucher and certificate required by law.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 15 - Accounts; Form and Contents

Section 15. The treasurer shall keep a full and accurate account stating when, from or to whom, and on what account money has been received or paid. Except in Suffolk county, his books shall be kept in the form prescribed by the director of accounts.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 16 - Fiscal Year

Section 16. The fiscal year of each county shall be the year beginning with July first and ending with the following June thirtieth; but the treasurer shall, until July tenth, enter in his books the items for the payment of bills incurred and salaries earned during the previous fiscal year. Immediately after July first, he shall pay to every officer in his county any salary balance remaining due.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 18 - Suffolk and Nantucket Counties; Applicability of Laws

Section 18. Sections ten, fourteen, twenty-five to twenty-nine, inclusive, and forty-four shall not apply to Suffolk county, nor shall sections fifteen, sixteen, twenty-five to thirty, inclusive, and thirty-two to thirty-four, inclusive, affect the special laws relative to Suffolk or Nantucket county.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 19 - County Salaries; Payment; Payroll Deductions; Deposits to Employee Bank Accounts Authorized

Section 19. County salaries shall, except as otherwise provided, be payable in monthly installments on the first day of the month.
No county treasurer shall pay any salary, wages or other compensation to any person in the service of a county unless the payroll, voucher or account is signed under the penalties of perjury by the officer in charge of the department, or the person immediately responsible for the appointment or employment of the persons named therein, or, in the absence or disability of such officer then by a person designated by him and approved by the county commissioners.
Every such payroll shall contain at least the following information: the payroll period; the full name of each officer or employee; title of office or position held; rate of salary or wages or other compensation; and any portion of the payroll period for which salary, wages, or other compensation is being paid on account of sick leave, vacation or other leave.
Each treasurer making deductions from the salary, wages or compensation of an employee shall notify in writing such employee of the amounts and nature of such deductions at the time of payment of the salary, wages or compensation from which such deductions are made. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to Suffolk county.
Any county treasurer may pay salaries, wages, or other compensation to any person in the service of the county by means of deposits to the employees' bank accounts provided employees have expressly authorized said deposits.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 19a - Accumulated Vacation Allowance; Payment Upon Death or Separation From Service

Section 19A. In any county which accepts this section by vote of the county commissioners, advances of pay may be made to any county officer or employee in advance of his regular vacation to the extent of the pay to which he is about to be entitled during such vacation period under such regulations as the county treasurer may prescribe.
Upon the death of a county employee who is eligible for vacation under the rules of the county personnel board, payment shall be made in an amount equal to the vacation allowance as earned in the vacation year prior to the employee's death but which had not been granted, and, in addition, that portion of the vacation allowance earned in the vacation year during which the employee died, up to the time of his separation from the payroll; provided, that no monetary or other allowance has already been made therefor. The county commissioners, upon request of the appointing officer of the deceased employee, shall authorize the payment of such compensation upon the establishment of a valid claim therefor, in the following order of precedence:— First: To the surviving beneficiary or beneficiaries, if any, lawfully designated by the employee under the employee's retirement system; Second: If there be no such designated beneficiary, to the estate of the deceased.
Employees who are eligible for vacation under the rules of said county personnel board whose services terminated by dismissal, through no fault or delinquency of their own, or by retirement, shall be paid an amount equal to the vacation allowance as earned in the vacation year prior to such dismissal or retirement which had not been granted, and, in addition, that portion of the vacation allowance earned in the vacation year during which such dismissal or retirement occurred, up to the time of separation; provided, that no monetary or other allowance has already been made therefor.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 19b - Deceased Officers and Employees; Payment of Salary to Next of Kin; Effect

Section 19B. Whenever any officer or employee or former officer or employee of a county dies, and such county owes his estate any sum or sums by reason of the terms of his employment, the aggregate amount of which does not exceed twenty-five hundred dollars, and neither a duly appointed executor or administrator nor a voluntary administrator has made written demand for payment upon the treasurer of such county and such treasurer does not otherwise have actual notice that proceedings relative to the formal or informal settlement of such estate have been commenced in any probate court, such sum or sums may, in the discretion of such treasurer, be paid after the expiration of one month from the death of such officer or employee to the husband, widow or next of kin of such officer or employee. Payments made as provided in this section shall discharge all liability of the county to all persons with respect to such sum or sums.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 19c - Deposits in Credit Union; Pension or Retirement Allowances

Section 19C. Any county treasurer may deduct from the pension or retirement allowance of a retired person who was a member of such county retirement system, such sum as such retired person may specify in writing and shall transmit the same to a credit union designated by such retired person.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 20 - Prosecution of Suits Upon Bonds, Notes, etc.; Joinder of Treasurer as Party

Section 20. A county treasurer may prosecute suits upon bonds, notes and other securities given to or held by the county or its treasurer. He may also prosecute for injuries to the land, buildings or other property of his county, subject to section thirty-six of chapter forty-one. The treasurer shall be joined as a party in all legal proceedings brought against the county.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 21 - Delinquency of Officers as to Money Payments; Notification of District Attorney

Section 21. If a public officer, or other person, required by law to account with and pay money to a county treasurer, fails so to do for ten days after the time prescribed by law therefor, the treasurer shall notify the district attorney, who shall forthwith proceed to recover the sum due.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 22 - Disposition of Surplus Money; Deposits; Investments; Interest

Section 22. Except as otherwise provided, county treasurers, clerks of the courts, clerks of district courts, sheriffs and superintendents of jails and houses of correction, probation officers, registers of probate and insolvency and registers of deeds, having more money in their hands than is required for immediate use, shall deposit it, in their official names, in national banks or trust companies in the commonwealth or banking companies doing business in the commonwealth and qualified to receive demand deposits under the provisions of section six A of chapter one hundred and seventy-two A, at the best practicable interest rates. County treasurers may also deposit in time deposits in such national banks, trust companies or banking companies and invest in United States treasury bills. Interest thereon shall be paid to the county, except that interest accruing to deposits by registers of probate and clerks of courts shall be paid to the commonwealth; provided, that interest accruing on the deposit as aforesaid of any money paid to any official mentioned in this section which is so paid under order of a court or which is otherwise subject to the direction of a court shall, if the court so directs, be paid to the parties entitled to the principal fund of such deposit.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 22a - Deposit of Funds Restricted

Section 22A. County treasurers, court clerks, sheriffs and superintendents of jails and houses of correction, probation officers, registers of probate and insolvency and registers of deeds shall not deposit any of the funds for which they are accountable in any national bank, trust company or banking company with which such treasurer or officer is associated as an officer or employee or has been associated as an officer or employee at any time during the preceding three years.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 23 - Money Paid Into Courts; Disposition; Interest

Section 23. Money paid into the courts in any county shall, if possible be placed at interest by the clerks thereof, and the interest shall be available for the uses of the commonwealth unless the court directs it to be paid to the parties to the litigation in connection with which such money was paid into court. All interest in the custody of any clerk of said courts not directed to be paid as aforesaid, remaining after payment by order of the court of the principal fund to parties litigant entitled thereto, shall annually be paid to the state treasurer between the first and tenth days of each fiscal year, to be used for the general purposes of the commonwealth.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 23a - Unclaimed Funds; Disposition

Section 23A. County officers holding funds unclaimed after two years from the time of receipt thereof and not otherwise subject to statutory disposition shall pay over such funds to their county treasury for the use of the county; provided, that any person or persons establishing a lawful claim thereto before the county commissioners within six years of such payment over may receive satisfaction thereof from any available funds in the county treasury.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 24 - Overdue Accounts; Interest Charge

Section 24. If a time is fixed for payment of money due a county or a county retirement system, the debtor shall, if notified by the county treasurer at least thirty days before such time, pay interest thereon at the rate of eight per cent per annum from such fixed time until payment.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 25 - Annual Report; Contents

Section 25. Immediately after July tenth, the county treasurer shall annually prepare a report of the county receipts and expenditures for the preceding fiscal year, stated separately under the heads prescribed by the director of accounts for keeping the treasurer's books. Such statement shall contain a table setting forth the budget as approved by the advisory board on county expenditures for each specific object, the amount expended therefrom, the unexpended balance thereof, and any excess of payments over said approved budget.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 26 - Annual Report of County Commissioners; Contents

Section 26. Immediately after July tenth, the county commissioners shall annually prepare a report on county affairs, showing their acts during the preceding fiscal year, so as to give the taxpayers of the county a full and clear understanding of its affairs and of the objects and methods of county expenditures. They shall state specifically what petitions relating to highways have been received, and what highways have been laid out, altered, relocated or discontinued, the manner of their alteration or new construction, the time of their intended completion, what have been completed, at what cost and at whose expense, and what remain to be completed, what damages or betterments have been awarded or estimated and to or against whom, what damages have been paid or betterments collected, and what suits are pending in relation thereto. They shall also state what highways have been laid out under orders stating that betterments are to be assessed, their action relative to public and private ways, what applications relative to state highways they have made to the department of highways, and, so far as ascertainable, what highways have been laid out within the county by said department, what have been constructed and at what expense, what sums expended by the commonwealth in the county for highways have been repaid by said county, what sums remain to be paid, and when. They shall also make a detailed statement of the repairs upon the several county buildings, stating separately the work done by contract and by day, and the money paid, and the liabilities incurred in the construction of new buildings, and shall also state what reservoirs, reservoir dams and mill dams have been examined by them under section forty-five of chapter two hundred and fifty-three. They shall present a table showing the salaries paid to county officers, stating separately those prescribed by law, a statement of the county debt, giving the date when each obligation will mature and the rate of interest, stating separately the loans made in anticipation of taxes and permanent loans, a statement of the amount of county taxes due and unpaid, and a list of the assets of the county, including land, buildings, furniture in jails and other public buildings.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 26a - Capital Facilities and Capital Facility Projects; Jurisdiction of Capital Planning and Operations Division

Section 26A. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections ten, fourteen, seventeen, twenty-five of chapter thirty-four or any other general or special law to the contrary, county capital facilities and capital facility projects, as defined by section thirty-nine A of chapter seven shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the division of capital asset management and maintenance according to the provisions of section forty A of chapter seven to the same degree and extent as other state agencies, as defined by said section thirty-nine A.
2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title VI - Counties and County Officers › Chapter 35 - County Treasurers, State Supervision of County Accounts and County Finances › Section 27 - Annual Reports; Publication and Distribution

Section 27. The county commissioners shall at the expense of the county print the annual county report containing the report of the county commissioners, statements in tabulated form prepared by the treasurer under section twenty-five, the annual budget as approved by the advisory board on county expenditures and any supplementary budgets thereto, and of such other officers and boards as consider it expedient to make a report, and such other matters as the law requires or as the commissioners consider expedient.
The county treasurer shall send a copy of such report to the state library, to the director of accounts, and to the mayor of each city and to the chairperson of the board of selectmen of each town in the county before the first day of November. He shall, at the close of each fiscal year, advertise in not more than three newspapers published in the same or an adjoining county an account of the county receipts and expenditures arranged under distinct heads, and a specific statement of the county debts, the purposes for which incurred and their dates of maturity.