News Blog and Resources at Harrington Heep | Municpal Law Firm

Sep 30, 20221 min read

Rapid Fire Updates - September 2022

Cybersecurity Grants The Department of Homeland Security will distribute over $1 billion over the next four years to assist and protect...

Don't Overlook Defects in the Presentment Notice Required by the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Aug 31, 20222 min read

Don't Overlook Defects in the Presentment Notice Required by the Massachusetts Tort Claims Act

The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently dismissed a portion of a lawsuit against the Cambridge Public Schools because it found that the...

Unused Vacation Time Cannot Count Towards Public Employee Pension Benefit

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Aug 31, 20223 min read

Unused Vacation Time Cannot Count Towards Public Employee Pension Benefit

Municipal collective bargaining agreements and employment contracts are replete with provisions authorizing or requiring certain...

Highlights of the Significant Changes to Regulation of Marijuana Businesses

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Aug 31, 20222 min read

Highlights of the Significant Changes to Regulation of Marijuana Businesses

The end of the legislative session saw the passage of, S.3096, An Act relative to equity in the cannabis industry, enacted with vocal...

Taxation and Regulation of Solar Energy Projects Under the DRIVE Act

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Aug 31, 20222 min read

Taxation and Regulation of Solar Energy Projects Under the DRIVE Act

Earlier this month Governor Baker signed “An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind”, Chapter 179 of the Acts of 2022. The dual-use...

A Reminder to Boards and Commissions to Write Your Decisions Carefully

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jul 29, 20222 min read

A Reminder to Boards and Commissions to Write Your Decisions Carefully

In City of Boston v. Conservation Commission of Quincy, the Supreme Judicial Court held that a superseding order of conditions that DEP...

Supreme Court Establishes a New Standard for Religious Expression in Schools

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jul 29, 20222 min read

Supreme Court Establishes a New Standard for Religious Expression in Schools

On June 27, 2022, the Supreme Court held that a school violated its football coach’s First Amendment rights when it suspended and then...

Supreme Court's Impact on Firearms Licenses

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jul 29, 20221 min read

Supreme Court's Impact on Firearms Licenses

In another case from this year’s term, the Supreme Court struck down New York’s law regulating when individuals may carry firearms in...

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jul 29, 20221 min read

Rapid Fire Updates - July 2022

Drought Status is Elevated The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs has updated the statewide drought status designations,...

CLIENT ALERT July 18, 2022 Certain COVID-19 Rules are Extended

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jul 18, 20221 min read

CLIENT ALERT July 18, 2022 Certain COVID-19 Rules are Extended

On Saturday, the Governor signed Ch. 186 of the Acts of 2022. It is in effect immediately as an emergency provision. The following...

CLIENT ALERT July 13, 2022 Meeting Remotely After July 15, 2022

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jul 13, 20222 min read

CLIENT ALERT July 13, 2022 Meeting Remotely After July 15, 2022

We are writing to advise our clients on the status of certain COVID-19 related measures under the Open Meeting Law regarding holding...

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jun 27, 20221 min read

June 2022 News & Events

We are pleased to welcome Christopher Brown as counsel with our firm. Chris was formerly a partner with Petrini & Associates, P.C., and...

The Appeals Court Takes a Holistic View of Residency Requirements for Elected Officials

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jun 27, 20222 min read

The Appeals Court Takes a Holistic View of Residency Requirements for Elected Officials

Is the residence of a candidates for election different from their domicile for voting purposes? The Massachusetts Appeals Court says no...

Supreme Judicial Court Provides Guidance to Communities Considering Solar Energy Ordinances/Bylaws

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jun 27, 20222 min read

Supreme Judicial Court Provides Guidance to Communities Considering Solar Energy Ordinances/Bylaws

As many of our readers are aware, the Commonwealth is experiencing a rapid growth in the number of new utility-scale solar energy...

A Precise Zoning Bylaw Is Imperative for Split-lot Zoning Situations

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jun 27, 20222 min read

A Precise Zoning Bylaw Is Imperative for Split-lot Zoning Situations

In Pinecroft Development, Inc. v. Zoning Board of Appeals of West Boylston, the Massachusetts Appeals Court reviewed a case of “split...

POST Regulations Update: Are You Ready for Recertification of Your Police Officers?

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jun 27, 20222 min read

POST Regulations Update: Are You Ready for Recertification of Your Police Officers?

At the end of 2020, the Governor signed a sweeping police reform bill, which, among other measures, created a new civilian oversight...

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Jun 27, 20221 min read

Rapid Fire Update - June 2022

EPA has issued health advisories and grant announcement concerning PFAS in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)...

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Apr 28, 20221 min read

April 2022 News & Events

Finally, April showers! Can anyone ever have too much mud? Let us hope that you don’t find that the articles in this month’s Miyares and...

The Supreme Court “Clarifies” the Standard of Review for Some Sign Bylaws

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Apr 28, 20223 min read

The Supreme Court “Clarifies” the Standard of Review for Some Sign Bylaws

Long-time readers of this newsletter may remember an article from July 2015 discussing the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Reed v. Town...

A Reminder of the Draconian Penalties for Violation of the Wage Act

Miyares and Harrington, LLP

Apr 28, 20223 min read

A Reminder of the Draconian Penalties for Violation of the Wage Act

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) recently reiterated the draconian penalties under even an unintentional violation of the...

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