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. Section 21 of chapter 30A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended in subsection (a) by deleting paragraph 8 and inserting in place thereof the following:-

8. To consider or interview applicants, including the preparation of interview questions for employment or appointment by a preliminary screening committee if the chair declares that an open meeting will have a detrimental effect in obtaining qualified applicants; provided, however that this clause shall not apply to any meeting, including meetings of a preliminary screening committee, to consider and interview applicants who have passed a prior preliminary screening; nothing in this section shall prohibit all members of a school committee, city council, town council, select board, or board of alderman from participating as members of the preliminary screening committee meeting in executive session for the purposes of this section.