Rep. Ken Gordon

Maddy summaryHD 5512 proposes implementing ranked choice voting (RCV) for all town elections in Bedford, affecting residents who vote in local elections for town offices. The bill requires voters to rank candidates in order of preference; if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated in successive rounds until one candidate achieves a majority. Bedford residents must first approve the change via a ballot question asking "Shall an act entitled 'An Act Authorizing Ranked Choice Voting in the Town of Bedford' be accepted?" with a majority "yes" vote. If approved, the RCV system would apply to all town elections occurring 90+ days after voter approval, excluding single-seat races with two or fewer candidates or multi-seat races matching candidate numbers to seats.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Town of Bedford to ban second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) through local ordinance, overriding other state laws. It directly affects Bedford residents, property owners, and commercial pest control services operating within the town. The key provision permits the town to restrict all SGAR applications, including those by licensed commercial applicators, except when the Board of Health authorizes their use to address a public health emergency. The law does not ban SGARs outright but gives Bedford the authority to implement a town-wide restriction with a specific health-related exception.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires towns to make their town meetings accessible both in person and remotely via video conferencing. It allows up to 15 town meeting members to participate remotely using a video platform, with their votes recorded electronically. The law applies directly to all town meeting members and requires towns to provide this option using a standard internet-connected device. The key provision ensures remote attendees can be recognized by the moderator and have their votes counted through the platform. This is a procedural change to meeting accessibility rules, not a substantive policy.