Whereas , The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide forthwith for the collective bargaining for employees of certain sheriffs, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

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

SECTION 1. Section 567 of chapter 151 of the acts of 1996 is hereby amended by striking out subsection (o) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-

(o) An employee of the sheriff of Franklin county shall be an "employee" or "public employee" as defined in section 1 of chapter 150E of the General Laws and the sheriff of such county shall be an "employer" or "public employer" as defined in said section 1 of said chapter 150E. A collective bargaining agreement negotiated by said sheriff shall be submitted to the governor in conformity with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 7 of said chapter 150E.

SECTION 2. Chapter 48 of the acts of 1997 is hereby amended by inserting after section 13 the following section:-

Section 13A. An employee of a sheriff of an abolished county shall be an "employee" or "public employee" as defined in section 1 of chapter 150E of the General Laws and the sheriff of such county shall be an "employer" or "public employer" as defined in said section 1 of said chapter 150E. A collective bargaining agreement negotiated by said sheriff shall be submitted to the governor in conformity with the provisions of subsection (c) of section 7 of said chapter 150E.