21.353 An Order for Special Legislation to Eliminate Party Appointments to the License CommissionCity of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
In City Council, November 18, 2021
Upon the recommendation of Mayor David J. Narkewicz
21.353 An Order for Special Legislation to Eliminate Party Appointments to the License
Commission
Ordered, that
WHEREAS, M.G.L. c. 138, § 4 provides that “[o]ne member [of the License Commission]
shall be appointed from each of the two leading political parties and the third
member may also be appointed from one of said parties”; and
WHEREAS, Section 8-5 of the Northampton City Charter provides for non-partisan elections
in the city; and
WHEREAS, Appointments to the License Commission on the basis of party affiliation does not
serve the interests of the City of Northampton.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED
Voted, to petition the General Court to the end that legislation be adopted precisely as follows.
The General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the
mayor approves amendments to the bill before enactment by the General Court. The mayor is
hereby authorized to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general public
objectives of this petition.
AN ACT EXEMPTING THE CITY OF NORTHAMPTON FROM APPOINTMENTS TO THE NORTHAMPTON
LICENSE COMMISSION ON THE BASIS OF PARTY AFFILIATION
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the
Authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the second sentence of section 4 of chapter 138, the mayor of the city of
Northampton may appoint members to the Northampton License Commission without regard to party
affiliation.
SECTION 2. The remaining provisions of section 4 of chapter 138 shall continue to apply to appointments
to the Northampton License Commission.
This act shall take effect upon its passage.