SECTION 1. Chapter 31 of the general laws in hereby amended by adding the following new section:

SECTION ##. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, the personnel administrator shall within sixty days of the effective date of this act, establish an examination procedure for the certification of provisional employees, as defined in section one of chapter thirty-one of the General Laws, to permanent positions within the commonwealth and cities and towns of the commonwealth. The administrator shall determine the form, method and subject matter for such examination procedure for the certification of such provisional employees. Upon completion of the examination process, the administrator shall certify any employee who served in a civil service position as a provisional employee for a period on at least six months prior to the effective date of this act or any employee who has previously passed a civil service examination and is now serving provisionally without interruption in service for more than two years. In the case of those employees serving in the labor service, the administrator shall certify any employee who served in a civil service position as a provisional employee for a period on at least six months prior to the effective date of this act. The provisions of this act shall not apply to positions in the police and fire service.