HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5107

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

________________________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, November 18, 2024.

The committee on Public Service, to whom was referred the joint petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4590) of James J. O'Day and Michael O. Moore (with the approval of the mayor and city council) relative to exempting the office of chief of police and the position of deputy chief of police in the city of Worcester from the civil service law, reports recommending that the accompanying bill (House, No. 5107) ought to pass [Local Approval Received] [Senator Fattman dissents].

For the committee,

KENNETH I. GORDON.

        FILED ON: 11/14/2024

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 5107

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

An Act exempting the office of chief of police in the city of Worcester from the civil service law.

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 any general or special law to the contrary, the Office of Chief of Police of the City of Worcester shall not be subject to Chapter 31 of the General Laws, and such Chief of Police shall not have Civil Service status, subject to Section 2.

SECTION 2. If the city manager appoints a Chief from within the Police Department, that employee will be granted a leave of absence by the city manager from their Civil Service rank and position during the time they serve as Police Chief. If they are no longer Police Chief, they may return to their prior Civil Service rank and position, provided they have not reached the maximum age for retirement under Chapter 32 of the General Laws for police officers.

SECTION 3. Nothing in this act shall impair the civil service status of any tenured employee holding a position governed by the civil service laws on the effective date of this act.

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