House Minority
Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) has announced his appointment of
State Representative David F. DeCoste (R-Norwell) to serve on the SpecialLegislative Commission to Study and Examine the Civil Service Law.
Established as part of the policing reform bill signed into law on December 31, 2020, the special commission is tasked with studying the employment, promotion, performance evaluation and disciplinary procedures for civil service employees, as well as employees of communities not subject to the civil service law. Based on its findings, the commission will make recommendations for changing the law to improve diversity, transparency and representation of the community in the recruitment, hiring and training of civil service employees and employees working in communities not subject to the civil service law.
A previous iteration of the special commission issued a report on March 30, 2022, which called for lowering barriers to the civil service exam fee waivers and supporting cadet programs and diversity scholarship models, among other proposed policy changes. Language included in a supplemental budget earlier this year revived the commission with the goal of supplementing its previous report with further recommendations, which are now due by May 31, 2024.
“As a career Army veteran who served 22 years on active duty, David is well aware of the importance of the civil service law in helping our veterans who honorably served in the U.S. military to secure employment,” said Representative Jones. “His insight and expertise will help guide the commission as it works to build on the previous recommendations to further improve the law and promote more diversity in the workforce.”
The 29-member commission is co-chaired by Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) and Senator Michael Brady (D-Brockton), who also serve as co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Service. The commission includes representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New England Area Conference; the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus; the Massachusetts House Asian Caucus; the Massachusetts Municipal Association; the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Incorporated; the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, Inc.; the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Massachusetts, Inc.; the Mass. Veterans’ Service Agents Association, Inc.; and the Disabled American Veterans, Department of Massachusetts, Inc.
DeCoste currently serves as the Ranking Minority Member on both the Joint Committee on Public Service and the Joint Committee on Housing. He is also a member of the House Committee on Operations, Facilities and Security, as well as the Joint Committee on Transportation and the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion.
First elected to the House of Representatives in November of 2014, DeCoste represents the 5th Plymouth District communities of Hanover, Rockland, Hanson (Precinct 1) and Norwell (Precincts 1 and 2).
