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 26 of chapter 31 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, any children of Alton Grindle, a firefighter of the town of Hanson who fell from a tower during a training exercise on September 13, 1980 and died September 18, 1980 as the result of this fall, shall have their names certified for original appointment for fire service in the commonwealth before all other persons on the eligible list for such an appointment, if the son or daughter passes the required written and physical examinations for entrance to the fire service. If more than 1 person becomes eligible pursuant to this act, the names of such persons shall be certified in the order of their respective scores on the open competitive civil service examination for the firefighting service.

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