Wayland Pushes For Remote Open Town Meeting

WAYLAND, MA — Remote town meetings in Wayland could be coming soon.

Local officials attended a legislative hearing last week to support remote participation in town meetings. Several entities in Wayland are backing a bill that would authorize any town meeting can be held remotely or a hybrid of in-person and remote.

The bill H.2274, submitted by Rep. Carmine Gentile (D - Middlesex), has strong support from Wayland Town Meeting, the town’s Select Board, Moderator and Electronic Voting Implementation Subcommittee, according to a news release.

The groups are working to explain to legislators the benefits of remote participation. They say it will end the disenfranchisement of people with young children, disabilities, caregiving or work responsibilities.