Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government
Section 5 - Liabilities, Debts and Assets of Abolished Counties

Section 5. All valid liabilities and debts of an abolished county which are in force immediately before the transfer date shall be obligations of the commonwealth as of the transfer date, except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter. All assets, including revenue received pursuant to chapter 64D and such other revenue said county receives as of immediately before the transfer date shall become assets and revenue of the commonwealth, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
All valid liabilities and debts of the Suffolk and Berkshire counties' registries of deeds which are in force immediately before July 1, 1999 shall be obligations of the commonwealth on July 1, 1999 except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter. All assets of said registries, including revenue received pursuant to paragraph (2) of section 12 of chapter 64D, and such other revenues received as of immediately before July 1, 1999, shall become assets and revenues of the commonwealth except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
The registries of deeds in Berkshire county shall, until the transfer date of Berkshire county pursuant to section 1, forward to the county commissioners in Berkshire county the deeds revenues that are necessary for the continued operation of Berkshire county government as certified by the county government finance review board; provided, however, that the secretary of administration and finance shall first certify that the commonwealth shall collect and retain sufficient revenue during fiscal year 2000 to fully fund the operations of said registries of deeds.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title VI - Counties and County Officers

Chapter 34b - Abolition of County Government

Section 1 - Transfer Date for Abolished Counties

Section 2 - Governments of Abolished Counties

Section 3 - County Commissioners; Terms

Section 4 - Abolished Counties' Functions, Duties and Responsibilities Transferred to Commonwealth; Employees Transferred Under Administrative Office of Trial Court

Section 5 - Liabilities, Debts and Assets of Abolished Counties

Section 6 - Real and Personal Property of Abolished Counties

Section 7 - Leases and Contracts of Abolished Counties

Section 8 - Plan to Recover Amounts Paid by Commonwealth for Liabilities and Debts of Abolished Counties

Section 9 - Treasurers of Abolished Counties

Section 10 - Registries of Deeds of Abolished Counties; Employees, Functions and Proceedings Transferred to Commonwealth

Section 11 - Rights of Employees of Registries of Deeds

Section 12 - Sheriffs of Abolished Counties

Section 13 - Employees of Sheriffs of Abolished Counties

Section 14 - Sheriffs, Deputies, Jailers, Superintendents, Keepers, Officers, and Assistants and Other Employees of the Sheriffs of Abolished Counties

Section 15 - Statutory Rights of Employees of Abolished Counties

Section 16 - Group Insurance Coverage for Employees

Section 17 - Education Aid for Independent Agricultural and Technical Schools

Section 18 - Retirement Systems

Section 19 - Regional Retirement Systems; Boards; Members

Section 19a - Essex Regional Retirement System; Essex Regional Retirement Board; Essex Regional Retirement Board Advisory Council; Benefits; Appointment of Receiver Upon Violation by Retirement Board

Section 20 - Cities and Towns; Regional Charter Commissions; Regional Councils of Government

Section 21 - Secretary of Administration and Finance; Plans for Effective Transfer of County Functions to Commonwealth

Section 22 - Municipalities of Abolished Counties; Dog Funds