The Overview

A recent Massachusetts law allows Jonathan Gagne to take the civil service exam for a Haverhill police officer job despite the position's maximum age requirement. Massachusetts House Bill 4879, an act authorizing Jonathan Gagne to take the civil service examination for the position of police officer in the city of Haverhill notwithstanding the maximum age requirement, was signed by Gov. Maura Healey (D) on Sept. 10. Gagne had been seeking permission to take the state civil-service exam for police officers despite being over the age limit, according to WHAV. The law took effect immediately upon signing. ​

What the Law Does

The law carves out a single, narrow exception to the civil service maximum age requirement for police officer candidates in Massachusetts: it allows Jonathan Gagne, a Haverhill resident, to sit for the civil service exam for the position of police officer in the city of Haverhill, despite being above the age limit that would otherwise bar him from doing so.

The underlying civil service age rules remain fully in place for all other candidates. This law changes nothing for anyone else in Massachusetts who might be in a similar situation. To benefit from an equivalent exception, another over-age candidate would need their own separate act of the legislature, signed by the governor.

Massachusetts sets a maximum age for entry into civil service police positions as part of its broader civil service system, which governs hiring for many public-sector jobs, including law enforcement, across the state. Age limits for police officer candidates are a common feature of civil service frameworks nationwide, typically justified on grounds of physical fitness standards and the length of a career in uniform.

Legislative Status

Rep. Andy Vargas (D) sponsored the bill, filing it with the approval of Haverhill's mayor and city council. The House advanced the bill in March, the Senate ordered it to a third reading in April, and the Senate enacted it on Sept. 3, according to the State House News Service. Local backing from the mayor and city council, combined with sponsorship from Haverhill's own state representative, helped move the bill through both chambers.

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