The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Massachusetts authorizes Stephen Justice to take Haverhill firefighter civil service exam despite age limit
Last action · April 10, 2026: Signed by the Governor, Chapter 57 of the Acts of 2026Sponsors: Andy Vargas and 1 other
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
Massachusetts enacted Chapter 57 of the Acts of 2026, allowing Stephen Justice to take the and be appointed as a firefighter for the City of Haverhill despite exceeding the .
Creates a single-person statutory exemption to state civil service age caps for municipal employment, enabling an individual candidate to enter the Haverhill fire department recruitment process who would otherwise be barred.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Stephen Justice
Gains legal eligibility to take the firefighter civil service exam and seek appointment in Haverhill regardless of age limits.
City of Haverhill
Gains authority to accept exam certification and appoint the named individual to its fire department.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this law apply to anyone other than Stephen Justice?
Does this law waive requirements other than age?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
15 actions- Apr 10, 2026ExecutiveEnrolledSigned by the Governor, Chapter 57 of the Acts of 2026
- Apr 2, 2026SenateEnacted and laid before the Governor
- Apr 2, 2026HouseEnacted
- Mar 30, 2026SenateFloorRead third and passed to be engrossed
- Mar 30, 2026SenateTaken out of the Orders of the Day
- Nov 6, 2025SenateRead second and ordered to a third reading
Show 9 earlier actions
- Oct 20, 2025SenateRead; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session
- Oct 16, 2025HouseFloorRead third (title changed) and passed to be engrossed
- Sep 15, 2025HouseRead second and ordered to a third reading
- Sep 15, 2025HouseRules suspended
- Sep 15, 2025HouseCommittee reported that the matter be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting
- Aug 21, 2025HouseCommitteeBill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Steering, Policy and Scheduling
- May 1, 2025JointHearing scheduled for 05/07/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
- Feb 27, 2025SenateSenate concurred
- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to the committee on Public Service
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
malegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance10How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy5Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment2Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools