Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding section 10 of chapter 39 of the General Laws or any other general or special law or by-law to the contrary, the acts and proceedings taken by the town of Manchester-by-the-Sea at the special town meetings held on April 2, 2001 and April 1, 2002, and all actions taken pursuant thereto including the award of, appropriation for and payment of contracts, are hereby ratified, validated and confirmed to the same extent as if the warrants for these town meetings had been posted and published in full compliance with law and town by-laws.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.