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H 5384

An Act authorizing Craig Riley to take the civil service examination for the position of firefighter in the city of Haverhill notwithstanding the maximum age requirement

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Andy Vargas

Allows Craig Riley to take the Haverhill firefighter exam and be eligible for certification and appointment despite age limits, if all other qualifications are met.

Hearing rescheduled to 06/03/2026 from 11:00 AM-11:45 AM in B-2 Hearing updated to New End Time
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Bill Summary · H 5384

Summary of H 5384 (194th MA General Court)

Title

An Act authorizing Craig Riley to take the civil service examination for the position of firefighter in the city of Haverhill notwithstanding the maximum age requirement.

Purpose and Intent

  • The bill seeks to authorize Craig Riley, a resident of Haverhill, to take the civil service examination for the firefighter position in the City of Haverhill despite the state or local maximum age requirements that would normally prohibit him from eligibility.
  • In other words, it provides an age exception so Riley can participate in the hiring process for the Haverhill fire department, assuming he meets all other qualifications.

Key Provisions

  • Section 1: Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule, or regulation related to the maximum age of applicants for appointment as a firefighter, Craig Riley shall be eligible for appointment if he meets all other requirements. If so, he shall be eligible for certification and appointment to the Haverhill fire department.
  • Section 2: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who/What Would Be Affected

  • Primary individual: Craig Riley (City of Haverhill resident). The bill would allow him to sit for and potentially be certified for the firefighter position despite age limitations.
  • Government/Local entity: City of Haverhill, Massachusetts (fire department). The department would consider Riley for appointment if he passes the exam and meets all other criteria.
  • Broader context: The action modifies eligibility criteria for a specific individual rather than establishing a broad, permanent policy.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Referred to the Committee on Public Service (as of 2026-04-16).
  • Effective date: Immediate upon enactment (takes effect upon passage).
  • Legislative track: A local petition bill sponsored by Rep. Andres X. Vargas (with co-sponsor Andy Vargas) filed in April 2026, and indicated as having local approval status.

Notable Considerations

  • The bill provides a targeted exception rather than a general change to age-related eligibility standards for all firefighter applicants.
  • Approval would depend on Riley meeting all other testing and qualification requirements besides age.
  • Since this is a local bill, if enacted, the exception would apply specifically to the City of Haverhill’s firefighter recruitment process for Riley.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to existing Massachusetts civil service age requirements for firefighters or provide a brief historical note on similar local age-waiver bills.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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