SECTION 1. Section 1 of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after line 490 the following definition:—

“Sabbatical Leave”, leave which promises to contribute to the development of the faculty

member or professional employee in the areas of teaching, research, creative or scholarly activity, or professional service, capability, and hence will contribute to the institution as a whole upon the return to the institution for at least one year following the academic year in which said leave takes place.

SECTION 2. Subdivision (1) of section 4 of Chapter 32, as so appearing, is hereby amended by adding after line 355 the following:—

(s) Creditable service in the case of any member who retires on or after the effective date of this act shall include the period of any sabbatical leave awarded at a public institution of higher education to a  faculty member or professional employee regardless of whether the sabbatical leave is granted with full or partial compensation, provided, however, that such creditable service shall be granted at a rate of one half for a sabbatical leave where the member has contributed at half the rate of his or her regular rate and full creditable service where the member has contributed at the full rate and provided, further, that a faculty member or professional employee who had such full-year sabbatical leave or leaves approved prior to July 29, 1991, shall, for the first of such leaves, contribute the regular deductions which would ordinarily be assessed based upon the date of such persons entry into the retirement system.