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H 4702

An Act exempting the positions of police lieutenant and police sergeant in the city of Leominster from the civil service law

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by John Cronin and 1 co-sponsor

Exempts Leominster police lieutenant and sergeant from civil service, allowing local appointment/promotion without civil service lists or exams.

Read; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session
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Bill Summary · H 4702

Summary: H.4702 – An Act exempting Leominster police lieutenant and police sergeant from the civil service law

Overview

H.4702 proposes to exempt the City of Leominster’s police lieutenant and police sergeant positions from the Commonwealth’s civil service framework (Chapter 31). The bill is a local petition filed by Rep. Natalie M. Higgins and Sen. John J. Cronin, with local approval from the mayor and city council. If enacted, the two ranks would no longer be governed by civil service rules for appointment and promotion.

What the bill would change

  • SECTION 1: The police lieutenant and police sergeant positions in Leominster would be exempt from Chapter 31 of General Laws (civil service).
  • SECTION 2: The act would take effect upon passage.

In practical terms, exempting these ranks means:
- Promotions and appointments to lieutenant and sergeant could be made by the city’s appointing authority (subject to local policies) without the civil service promotion process and list requirements.
- The positions would not be part of the civil service eligibility list or protected under standard civil service appeal procedures.

Who would be affected

  • Primary: City of Leominster police department, specifically the roles of police lieutenant and police sergeant.
  • Administrative: Leominster’s mayor and city council (as the local approving body) and the police department’s appointing authority.
  • Implications for current and future incumbents: Depending on local rules, promotion and discipline processes for these ranks could shift away from civil service protections and procedures.

Local approval and procedural context

  • Local approval received as part of the petition process (note in bill: “with the approval of the mayor and city council”).
  • The bill is a House petition (H.4702) filed by Rep. Higgins and Sen. Cronin (House Docket No. 4702).
  • Related filing: HD 5294 replaces earlier or concurrent related text; “HD 5294” appears in the docket materials.
  • Status timeline:
    • Introduced: November 3, 2025
    • Referred to Public Service: November 3, 2025
    • Senate concurred: November 6, 2025
    • Hearing: Written testimony only scheduled for November 20, 2025, 5:00 PM
    • Filed/House Docket: 10/27/2025

Implementation and timing

  • Effective date: Upon passage of the act (no separate phase-in period indicated).
  • No explicit fiscal appropriation is included in the bill; any cost or savings would depend on Leominster’s hiring and promotion practices for the exempted ranks.

Potential implications and considerations

  • Administrative flexibility for Leominster in staffing and promotions for lieutenant and sergeant ranks.
  • Decreased reliance on civil service lists and promotion exams for these specific ranks.
  • Potential impacts on job security and due process for incumbents, depending on local personnel policies and city ordinances.
  • Possible differences in disciplinary and appeals pathways compared with civil service-covered positions.

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

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