Section 12. Certificates in quadruplicate shall be prepared setting forth any charter that has been adopted or revised and any charter amendments approved and shall be signed by the city or town clerk. One such certificate shall be deposited in the office of the state secretary and shall be kept under the custody of the archivist of the commonwealth, one shall be deposited in the office of the director of housing and community development, one shall be deposited in the office of the attorney general and the other shall be recorded in the records of the city or town and deposited in its archives. All courts may take judicial notice of charters and charter amendments of cities and towns.
The city council of each city, and the board of selectmen of each town, shall, at intervals of not greater than ten years, cause the charter of said city or town as revised or amended to be reprinted for distribution to such registered voters of said city or town as may apply therefor at the office of the city or town clerk. Acts of the general court which are included in such charter may be referred to by appropriate subject headings and statutory citations instead of being set forth at length. Copies of said document may be sold at a price not to exceed the cost of paper, printing and binding thereof, plus mailing charges if any, as determined by said clerk.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts
Chapter 43b - Home Rule Procedures
Section 1 - Short Title; Definitions
Section 2 - Adoption, Revision or Amendment of Existing Charter
Section 3 - Petition for Adoption and Revision of Charter; Filing; Objections
Section 5 - Charter Commission; Procedure for Nomination and Election of Members
Section 6 - Charter Commission; Number of Members; Election
Section 7 - Charter Commission; Organization; Compensation and Expenses of Members
Section 9 - Hearings Before Charter Commission; Reports of Commission
Section 10 - Amendments to Charter Previously Adopted or Revised Under This Chapter; Procedure
Section 12a - Resubmission of Charter Which Failed of Approval
Section 13 - Exercise of Powers and Functions by Municipalities
Section 14 - Enforcement of This Chapter; Declaratory Relief; Judicial Review
Section 15 - Petitions for Adoption or Revision of Charter or Suggestion of Charter Amendment; Form
Section 16 - Paper or Document Required to Be Filed or Submitted; Presumptions
Section 17 - Election Laws; Applicable and Conflicting Provisions
Section 18 - Method of Electing Officers
Section 19 - Special Laws Enacted After Nov. 8, 1966
Section 20 - Provisions of Charter or Amendment Deemed Consistent With Certain Other Laws