The Overview
Residents of Monterey, Massachusetts, may have their police officer continue on the job under An Act authorizing the town of Monterey to continue the employment of police officer Jennifer O. Brown. The law carves out a narrow exception to state rules that would otherwise have required Brown to stop working. Select Board minutes from March 25, 2025, say Brown wanted to keep working past age 65, and that the issue would require a Town Meeting vote.
What the Law Does
Massachusetts law sets a mandatory retirement age for police officers, and without a legislative exemption, a town has no authority to keep an officer on past that threshold. Brown wanted to keep working past age 65, and Select Board minutes from March 25, 2025, say the issue would require a Town Meeting vote. The town pursued both tracks at once, seeking local approval while lawmakers drafted the bill at the statehouse.
The law applies only to Brown and only to the town of Monterey. It does not change the retirement age for any other officer or any other municipality in the state. The bill originated in the House and moved through both chambers before reaching the governor.
Legislative Status
The Joint Committee on Public Service was the bill's lead sponsor, and Leigh Davis and Paul W. Mark were cosponsors.
The bill cleared its third reading on May 28, was amended and passed on Sept. 17, and was enacted on Sept. 21 after the House concurred in the amendment. Democratic Gov. Maura Healey signed the bill on Sept. 24, 2026, making it Chapter 220 of the Acts of 2026.
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