SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2216        FILED ON: 5/1/2012

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

James T. Welch

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to correctional officer compensation.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2216        FILED ON: 5/1/2012

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Twelve

_______________

An Act relative to correctional officer compensation.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to Whereas, the deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to make forthwith certain changes in certain laws, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience., therefore, it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public [Emergency Preamble Context].
 

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: Whereas, there currently exists a disparity between the first year base salary of a correctional officer employed by the various sheriff’s departments of the commonwealth and the first year base salary of a correctional officer employed by the Massachusetts Department of Correction;

Whereas, the work performed by correctional officers employed by the various sheriff’s departments of the Commonwealth is substantially similar to the work performed by correctional officers employed by the Massachusetts Department of Correction;

Whereas, correctional officers employed by the various sheriff’s departments of the commonwealth perform dangerous and important work critical to the public safety.

Whereas, it is a priority to attract and retain highly qualified and professional correctional officers to the various county sheriff’s departments of the commonwealth.

SECTION 2: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the first year base salary of a correctional officer employed by a sheriff’s department shall not be less than ninety per cent of the first year base salary of a correctional officer employed by the Massachusetts Department of Correction.