SECTION 1. Section 10 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out paragraph (b 1/2) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

(b 1/2) Any member classified in Group 1, Group 2 or Group 4, who has completed five or more years of creditable service, and who, before attaining age fifty-five, resigns or voluntarily terminates his service and leaves his accumulated total deductions in the annuity savings fund of the system of which he is a member, shall have the right upon attaining age fifty-five, or at any time thereafter, to apply for a termination retirement allowance to become effective as provided for in subdivision (3) of this section. Such allowance shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of section five or the provisions of any other section governing superannuation retirement applicable to such member upon the basis of such member's age on the date when the retirement allowance becomes effective, with an amount of creditable service equal to that with which he was credited on the date of his termination of service. For purposes of determining a year of creditable service in this paragraph, 1000 or more hours of se rvice in any calendar year will equal one year of creditable service.

SECTION 2. Paragraph (m) of subdivision (1) of Section 5 of chapter 32, as appearing in the 1998 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 186 and 189, the word "ten" and inserting in place thereof the word: - "five".