Massachusetts legislation · 194th General Court
Massachusetts H5358: An Act authorizing the city of Newton to place municipal charges liens on certain properties in the city of Newton for nonpayment of any local charge, fee or fine
Status: Passed one chamber, November 2, 2026
What the bill says
From the introduced text, April 8, 2026:
SECTION 1. (a) The city of Newton may impose a lien on property located within the city for any local charge, fee or fine that has not been paid by the due date. This lien shall be known as a municipal charges lien. For purposes of this act, "local charge, fee or fine" shall mean any charge, fee or fine imposed by the city pursuant to the city code, city ordinance, city regulations, general or special laws or state regulations and any charge, fee or fine imposed by a court payable to the city as a result of any action initiated by the city to enforce the city code, city regulations, general or special laws or state regulations. (b) A lien authorized pursuant to this act shall take effect upon the recording of the unpaid local charge, fee or fine by parcel of land and by the name of the property owner assessed for the charge, fee or fine in the Middlesex southern district registry of deeds. (c) If a local charge, fee or fine that is secured by a municipal charges lien remains unpaid when the city assessors are preparing a real estate tax list and warrant to be committed under section 53 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, the board or officer in charge of the collection …
Sponsors
- John Lawn (D) · primary sponsor
- Gregory Schwartz (D)
Latest actions
- : Read third and passed to be engrossed
- : Taken out of the Orders of the Day
- : Read second and ordered to a third reading
- : Read; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session
- : Read third (title changed) and passed to be engrossed
- : Read second and ordered to a third reading
- : Rules suspended
- : Committee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
- : Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
- : Hearing rescheduled to 05/13/2026 from 10:00 AM-10:10 AM in B-1 and Virtual<br> <span style="color: blue; font-style: italic;">Hearing updated to New End Time</span>
Votes
- Committee Vote - Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (May 14, 2026): 11 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is H5358?
- H5358 is a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature (194th General Court): An Act authorizing the city of Newton to place municipal charges liens on certain properties in the city of Newton for nonpayment of any local charge, fee or fine.
- What is the status of H5358?
- Passed one chamber as of November 2, 2026. Latest action: Read third and passed to be engrossed (November 2, 2026).
- Who sponsored H5358?
- John Lawn (D), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for H5358?
- On the Massachusetts Legislature website: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5358
Source: official Massachusetts record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.