SECTION 1.   Section 12 of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting in line 212 after the words “two hundred and fifty dollars,” the following words:- or five hundred dollars a month, whichever is applicable to such spouse.

SECTION 2.   Section 12 of Chapter 32 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after line 221 the following paragraph:- Beginning July first, two thousand and eleven, the normal monthly member-survivor allowance provided for under this option to a spouse of a deceased member shall not be less than five-hundred dollars for members of the state teachers’ and state employees’ retirement system.  The provisions of this paragraph shall take effect for the members of a retirement system of any other political subdivision by a majority vote of the board of such system and by the local legislative body.  For the purpose of this paragraph, local legislative body shall mean a town meeting for a town system, the city council subject to the provisions of its charter for a city system, the county retirement board advisory council for a county system, the regional retirement board advisory council for a regional system, the district members for a district system and the governing body of an authority for an authority system.  Acceptance shall be deemed to have occurred upon the filing of a certification of such vote with the commission.