An Act authorizing the City of Westfield to establish an age limit for original appointment to the position of firefighter

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Mike Finn and 1 co-sponsor

Allows Westfield to set an age limit prohibiting firefighter certification for applicants who are 40 or older at the entrance exam.

Read second and ordered to a third reading

Summary of H.5288 (194th General Court, Massachusetts)

Purpose and intent

The bill authorizes the City of Westfield to establish an age limit for original appointment to the position of firefighter.

Specifically, it sets a cutoff that prevents certification of candidates who will have reached their 40th birthday on the date of the entrance examination.

The measure applies to Westfield and is limited to competitive examinations conducted after the act’s effective date.

Key provisions

Section 1: Notwithstanding general laws (including Section 58A of Chapter 31) or any other law to the contrary, no person may be certified for original appointment as a firefighter in Westfield if that person is already 40 years old on the date of the entrance examination.

Section 2: The age limit applicability is limited to competitive examinations administered on or after the act’s effective date.

Who/what is affected

City of Westfield firefighter recruitment processes.

Applicants seeking original appointment as a firefighter in Westfield for exams conducted after the act’s effective date.

Local hiring oversight in Westfield, rather than statewide application; this is a local option granted to Westfield via state authorization.

Procedural and timeline aspects

This act is a local authorization measure; it does not change state-wide law but allows Westfield to set an age limit for its firefighter entry exams.

Effective date: The provisions apply to competitive exams conducted on or after the act’s effective date (the act itself would require the bill to become law; the exact effective date would be upon enactment).

Status history indicates the bill progressed through the Massachusetts House with committee reporting and readings, and received local approval following committee recommendation.

Additional context

The bill name identifies it as “An Act authorizing the City of Westfield to establish an age limit for original appointment to the position of firefighter.”

The sponsors are Rep. Kelly W. Pease (primary) with Rep. Mike Finn as co-sponsor.

The bill originated as a local petition and reflects a local option aligned with Westfield’s personnel policy goals.

Potential implications and considerations

Westfield would have flexibility to set age-based eligibility for firefighter candidates, potentially affecting the pool of applicants and succession planning.

The policy aligns Westfield with common municipal hiring practices that sometimes set age limits for public safety roles, subject to compliance with applicable Massachusetts and federal laws about age discrimination and exemptions.

If enacted, other communities might look to Westfield’s approach as a local model for age-based eligibility in competitive exams.