Scope and Content: In fulfilling its role as the record keeper for the Commonwealth and pursuant to MGLA 43B, s 12, the office of the state secretary receives certified copies of home rule charters and charter revisions that have been approved by a majority of voters of a municipality in accordance with Const Amend Art 89 (Home-Rule Amendment), adopted in 1966 and further enabled by St 1966, c 734. –By law these copies transmitted to the state secretary are to be kept in the custody of the Archives of the Commonwealth.  Additional copies are kept by the municipality (see: Massachusetts. Municipal Clerks. Charters–final reports (town clerk scheduled item) ((M-Ar)RS-2.14)), the secretary of communities and development, and the attorney general, whose office must have previously approved the charter. –It should be noted that a special legislative act consisting of a new or amended town charter–the only option available before the passage of the Home Rule Amendment (above)–may  still be necessary or appropriate when a municipality is seeking changes in its government that the Attorney General has determined go beyond or are inconsistent with applicable general or special laws.  Such acts are initiated by the filing of a home rule petition with the General Court. They may be found in the session laws for any given year, but are not included in this series.
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by municipality
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