Town Bylaws

Current Town Bylaws

Town of Lexington Bylaws

These are the bylaws that have been enacted by Town Meeting and approved by the Massachusetts Attorney General's (AG) Office. 

Note: The Town Clerk has 30 days after Town Meeting to submit approved bylaws to the AG, who then has 90 days to determine whether the bylaw is approved. Bylaws are not official until/unless that happens.

How Bylaws are Created and Amended

New Town bylaws and amendments to current bylaws can be suggested by:

• Select Board members
• Town Meeting members
• Other elected or appointed officials
• Town staff members
• Residents or other members of the public

An article proposing the bylaw or amendment must then be added to a Town Meeting warrant. This can be done by the Select Board, or by submitting a citizen's petition.

The Town Meeting can take the following actions on the bylaw or bylaw amendment motion:

• refer it back to the appropriate committee
• pass or fail to pass it
• amend it, then pass or fail to pass it

If it passes, the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office then determines its legality. If they accept it, it is then added to the official bylaws of the Town by the Lexington Town Clerk's Office.