SECTION 1.  Section 1 of chapter 48 of the acts of 2010 is hereby amended by striking out the second sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- Special police officers shall not be subject to the same maximum age restrictions as applied to regular police officers under chapter 32 of the General Laws, but shall not be eligible to serve as special police officers if they have reached the age of 68; provided, however, that  in the event the maximum age restriction applicable to regular police officers serving a town is increased from the current 65 years of age and beyond reaching the age of 68, special police officers shall be eligible to serve until they reach the maximum age allowable for regular police officers under said chapter 32; and provided further, that no special police officer shall be eligible to serve beyond reaching the age of 70.

SECTION 2.  Section 4 of said chapter 48 is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:- A special police officer’s appointment shall automatically terminate upon the officer’s sixty-eighth birthday, unless the special police officer is eligible to serve until a higher age as provided in section 1.

SECTION 3. Section 7 of said chapter 48 is hereby amended by striking out the fourth and fifth sentences and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- Payments under said section 111F of said chapter 41 shall terminate at the conclusion of the appointment period or when a special police officer reaches the age of 68, whichever occurs sooner; provided, however, that if the special police officer is eligible to serve until a higher age as provided in section 1, benefits under said section 111F of said chapter 41 shall terminate at the conclusion of the appointment period or when the special police officer reaches the higher age limit.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.