Bill S.2137

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2189 FILED ON: 7/23/2009

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2137

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to regional transit authorities..

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. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary there shall be a special commission to investigate and study the feasibility of transferring employees of all regional transit authorities into the coverage of the group insurance commission as well as providing for authorities established under Chapter 161B of the MGL’s a means to directly operate a mass transportation service.

SECTION 2. The commission shall consist of the following members as follows: the Secretary of Administration & Finance or their designee, the Secretary of Transportation or their designee, the Executive Director of the Regional Transit Authorities, a representative from the regional transit authorities employees union, a representative from the group insurance commission, two members of the senate to be appointed by the Senate President, one member of the senate to be appointed by the Senate minority leader, two members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, one member of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the House minority leader.

SECTION 3. The secretary for administration and finance shall lead said study, which shall examine the costs and benefits of moving employees of all regional transit authorities to the coverage of the group insurance commission as well as the cost and benefits of maintaining said employees in their current health insurance system and comparing said findings. Additionally the commission shall research the feasibility of repealing provisions of Section 25 of Chapter 161B of the MGL’s relative to the operating of mass transportation service. Said secretary shall report in writing the findings and recommendations of said study or studies to the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than December 1, 2010.