Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 26 of chapter 31 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, in any city or town which accepts the provisions of this act any child of William Stec, a patrolman in the metropolitan district commission police department who was injured during an assault while in the performance of his duties on May 18, 1980 as attested to in an affidavit filed with the department of personnel administration, who passes the required written and physical examinations for entrance to the police service shall have his name certified for original appointment to the police service before all other persons on the eligible list for such appointment; provided, however, that if more than one person shall be deemed to be eligible pursuant to the provisions of this act, the names of such persons shall be certified in the order of their respective scores on the open competitive civil service examination for such police service.