Massachusetts House Advances Local Housing, Property Tax, and Age-Waiver Bills

BOSTON — March 23, 2026 — The Massachusetts House passed a slate of local-option and age-waiver bills in a brief formal session Monday, March 23. Six local-option bills carrying municipal approval — covering the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust, a disabled-persons property exemption in Swampscott, Arlington's means-tested senior property tax exemption, the Lexington Housing Assistance Board's organization, a Lexington parkland exchange, and a new charter for the Town of Orange — were ordered to third reading by unanimous voice vote. Two engrossed bills passed to be enacted, including House 4142 directing the Boston Police Department to waive its maximum age requirement for Jason Dillian, and House 4768 authorizing the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to convey land in Brockton. Two additional bills — House 4572, a Boston Police age waiver for an individual identified in the record as Dumi Pomero, and House 4573, authorizing Sean Duffy to take the Haverhill firefighter Civil Service exam despite the age cap — were passed to be engrossed. Speaker Ronald Mariano adjourned the House to Wednesday, March 25, at 11 a.m.