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. Chapter 262 of the acts of 1984 is hereby amended by striking out section 1, as amended by section 1 of chapter 156 of the acts of 2000, and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sections:-

Section 1. The positions of regular or permanent members of the fire department of the town of Hopedale shall be subject to chapter 31 of the General Laws and the tenure of any incumbent thereof shall be unlimited, subject to said chapter 31.

Section 1A. The positions of regular or permanent members of the police force including intermittent reserve officers and the chief of police of the town of Hopedale shall be exempt from chapter 31 of the General Laws.

SECTION 2. Section 1A of said chapter 262, inserted by section 1 of this act, shall not impair the civil service status of the persons serving as employees of the police force of the town of Hopedale on the effective date of this act.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage.