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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 331 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2919
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Joan Meschino
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act expanding access to the civil service examination.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Joan Meschino3rd Plymouth1/8/2025 1 of 2
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 331 FILED ON: 1/8/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2919
By Representative Meschino of Hull, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2919) of Joan
Meschino relative to expanding access to civil service examinations. Public Service.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 2605 OF 2023-2024.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act expanding access to the civil service examination.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Clause (n) of section 5 of chapter 31 of the General Laws, as appearing in
2the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following sentence:-
3Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the administrator shall waive all
4costs and fees associated with taking a civil service examination for all persons 18 years of age
5or younger.
6 SECTION 2. Section 58 of said chapter 31, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
7striking out the second paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-
8 No person shall be certified for original appointment to the position of firefighter or
9police officer in a city or town which has not accepted sections 61A and 61B if that person has
10reached 32 years of age on or before the final date for the filing of applications, as stated in the 2 of 2
11examination notice, for the examination used to establish the eligible list from which the
12certification is to be made. No person shall be eligible to take an examination for original
13appointment to the position of firefighter or police officer in a city or town if: (i) the applicant
14will not have reached 17 years of age on or before the final date for the filing of applications for
15the examination, as so stated; and (ii) the applicant will not have reached 18 years of age on or
16before the date of the examination. No person shall be eligible for original appointment to the
17position of police officer in a city or town until that person has reached the age of 21.