Section 23D. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, upon municipal acceptance of this section for 1 or more types of adjudicatory hearings, a member of any municipal board, committee or commission when holding an adjudicatory hearing shall not be disqualified from voting in the matter solely due to that member's absence from no more than a single session of the hearing at which testimony or other evidence is received. Before any such vote, the member shall certify in writing that he has examined all evidence received at the missed session, which evidence shall include an audio or video recording of the missed session or a transcript thereof. The written certification shall be part of the record of the hearing. Nothing in this section shall change, replace, negate or otherwise supersede applicable quorum requirements.
(b) By ordinance or by-law, a city or town may adopt minimum additional requirements for attendance at scheduled board, committee, and commission hearings under this section.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title VII - Cities, Towns and Districts
Chapter 39 - Municipal Government
Section 1 - Allocation of Powers
Section 2 - Presiding Officer of Board of Aldermen; Voting Rights
Section 3 - Elections of City Officers by Municipal Bodies; Manner of Voting
Section 4 - Mayor to Sign Every Ordinance; Veto Power; Effect
Section 5 - Performance of Mayoralty Duties During Vacancy
Section 6 - Election Warrants; Issuance; Acceptance of Provisions of Section
Section 6a - Municipal Salaries; Increases and Decreases; Procedure
Section 7 - Holding Other Offices
Section 8 - Compatibility of Offices
Section 8a - Removal of Officers; Procedure; Exception
Section 9 - Annual Meeting; Other Meetings; Election of Officers; Times; Adjournment; Holidays
Section 10 - Warrant; Issuance; Contents
Section 11 - Persons Authorized to Call Meetings Upon Resignation of Selectmen
Section 12 - Persons Authorized to Call Meetings Upon Refusal of Selectmen
Section 13 - Quorum; Application of Section
Section 14 - Moderators; Election; Tenure; Vacancies; Assistant Moderators
Section 15 - Moderators; Powers and Duties
Section 16 - Appropriation, Advisory or Finance Committees; Appointment; Tenure; Powers and Duties
Section 17 - Powers of Moderator; Preservation of Order
Section 18 - Duties of Moderators; Reception of Votes