The bill amends Chapter 268A of the Massachusetts General Laws to clarify the classification of special municipal employees. It replaces the existing definition of "special municipal employee" by removing the previous subsection (n) and inserting a new definition that specifies the criteria for classification. The new definition states that a special municipal employee is one who is not a mayor, a member of the board of aldermen, a city council member, or a selectman in towns with populations over ten thousand, unless expressly classified otherwise. Additionally, it establishes that selectmen in smaller towns are automatically considered special municipal employees. The bill also stipulates that no municipal employee can be classified as a special municipal employee unless they occupy a position without compensation or one that allows for personal employment during normal working hours, or if they do not earn compensation exceeding eight hundred hours in the past year.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new subsection (d) to Section 11 of Chapter 268A, which automatically designates individuals who meet the qualifications outlined in the new definition as special municipal employees. This automatic classification is conferred upon fulfilling the specified requirements. The bill is set to take effect on January 1st of the year following its passage.