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S 3108

An Act authorizing the town of Andover to exempt all Andover police officers from civil service

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Barry Finegold

Andover would exempt its police from Chapter 31 civil service, allowing non-civil service hiring and promotions for future positions while preserving current civil service status f

Hearing scheduled for 07/14/2026 from 11:00 AM-04:00 PM in A-1
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Bill Summary · S 3108

Overview

This Massachusetts bill seeks to exempt the town of Andover's police department from civil service protections. If enacted, it would remove Andover police officers from Chapter 31 civil service status and place all sworn positions under non-civil service rules. The measure is a local, permissive change contingent on the General Court's passage and affects only Andover.

Purpose and intent

  • To authorize Andover to exempt all of its police officers (across all ranks) from Chapter 31 civil service.
  • The intended effect is to allow the town greater control over hiring, promotions, and personnel decisions for its police department without civil service constraints.

Key provisions

  • SECTION 1: Exempts all current and future police officer positions in Andover from Chapter 31 civil service status.
  • SECTION 2: Clarifies that the exemption does not impair civil service status for any sworn officer who holds a police position in Andover as of the act’s effective date. Those individuals maintain their existing civil service status.
  • SECTION 3: States that, notwithstanding SECTION 2, no appointment or promotion occurring after the act’s effective date shall be subject to Chapter 31 civil service.
  • SECTION 4: Specifies that the act takes effect upon passage.

Affected parties and scope

  • Primary: Town of Andover and its Police Department.
  • Affected individuals: All sworn Andover police officers (current and future) would be removed from civil service status for purposes of appointments and promotions.
  • Indirectly: The town’s personnel processes for police appointments and promotions, potentially altering timelines and procedures compared with civil service requirements.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill has been referred to the Massachusetts Senate Committee on Public Service (as of 2026-06-01).
  • It is a locally targeted bill (local approval received as indicated in the petition listing).
  • Effective date: Upon passage (no separate transition period specified).

Potential implications

  • Hiring and promotions for Andover police could become subject to non-civil service processes, allowing the town broader discretion.
  • Existing civil service protections for officers as of the act’s effective date would remain in place for those individuals, but future appointments or promotions would bypass civil service.
  • The change would not apply to other municipalities or to non-police town employees unless similar legislation is enacted elsewhere.

Note: This summary reflects the bill text and stated sections as filed. It does not address potential funding, collective bargaining implications, or impacts on workforce relations beyond civil service status.

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

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