Massachusetts Senate Passes Marblehead, Malden, Munson Local Bills in Brief Session

BOSTON — April 21, 2026 — Massachusetts Senate clears six local-relief bills and extends two committee deadlines in a brief April 21 session. The chamber passed House No. 4225 authorizing Marblehead to create a means-tested senior property tax exemption and House No. 4584 updating special police officer appointments in Malden, both engrossed on unanimous voice votes. Senate No. 2796 extended the Committee on Financial Services' reporting deadline to May 4 for seven bills; amendments offered by Senator Michael F. Rush and Senator Robyn K. Kennedy pushed deadlines for the Veterans and Federal Affairs and Mental Health Substance Recovery committees, respectively, from April 30 to June 30 on a combined 14 documents. Senator Peter J. Durant, who swapped on and off the Committee on Bills in the Third Reading twice in the same session, repeatedly pressed the chair for bill counts before consenting to expedited consideration. House No. 4259, designating Witter Park tennis courts as the Kim O'Connell Tennis Courts, required a standing-vote emergency preamble that passed 2-0, and House No. 4602 expanding Munson's Select Board was passed to be enacted alongside it — both bills now head to the Governor.