SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1852        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 686

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Nine

_______________

An Act Relative to Widow's Benefits..

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 1(1) of Chapter 152 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:

Section 1: For the purposes of Section 35C, Section 32, and Section 31, the earnings of the employee shall be determined as of the date of his last full time employment, irrespective of whether that employer is subject to this chapter.  Notwithstanding the prior voluntary retirement of the employee, such earnings shall be considered wages upon which the spouse is dependent at the time of the employee’s death.

Section 2: For purposes of Section 2A of Chapter 152 of the General Laws, Section 1 of this act, above, shall be deemed to be procedural in character. “