Budget Amendment ID: FY2019-S4-25

OTH 25

Hiring and Promotion Practices at the Department of State Police

Mr. Feeney moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting the following new section at the end thereof:

SECTION XX There shall be a special commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to review the hiring and promotion policies and practices of the state police. The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public service, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security; 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; and 1 member appointed by the minority leader of the senate the chair, or a designee of the following legislative caucuses: the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators and the Massachusetts Asian-American Legislative Caucus; the colonel of state police or a designee; the secretary of veterans’ services or a designee; the chair of the Massachusetts commission against discrimination or a designee; 1 member of the State Police Association of Massachusetts; and 1 representative of each of the following: the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement, the Massachusetts Latino Police Officers Association, Inc. and the Benevolent Asian Jade Society of New England.

The commission shall examine state police recruitment, hiring, retention and promotion, including but not limited to: the relevancy of testing requirements to essential job functions; preferential treatment on the competitive examinations for initial enlistment and promotion; preferential treatment based on personal contacts; the impact of any criminal record on an applicant’s candidacy; the collection, analysis and sharing of data on race, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation; and the role of the affirmative action office in hiring practices.

The commission shall recommend steps to increase transparency and accountability with respect to recruitment, hiring, retention and promotion decisions. The commission shall hold its first meeting not later than 30 days after the effective date of this act and shall meet not less frequently than monthly thereafter.

The commission shall file a report of its investigation and study, together with legislation, if any, with the clerks of the house and senate no later than December 31, 2018.