Massachusetts House Enacts Arlington Town Manager Act, Advances Seven Bills

BOSTON — March 5, 2026 — Massachusetts House passes Arlington Town Manager Act and engrosses three local bills in brief informal session. The chamber met Thursday, March 5, advancing nine measures on voice votes with no recorded roll calls or debate. House No. 4502, amending the Town Manager Act of the Town of Arlington, was passed to be enacted and now heads to the Senate. Representative Thomas P. Walsh of Peabody successfully amended House No. 5014 on the floor, striking "departments paid" and inserting "extended illness" and adding an emergency preamble, before the sick leave bank bill for state employee Sonia Felix was passed to be engrossed. The Town of Pembroke liquor license bill, House No. 4817, and two Boston Police Department age-waiver bills were also engrossed, while seven additional measures — including a Building Trades Recovery Week designation and a student recess bill — were advanced to third reading.