HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2168        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2675

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Shaunna L. O'Connell and Geoff Diehl

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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 transparency in the MBTA Retirement Fund.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2168        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2675

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act relative to transparency in the MBTA Retirement Fund.

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. (a) Section 14C of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “higher education” the words:- 

“the MBTA Retirement Fund”.

(b) Section 14C of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “federal assistance” the sentence:- “For the purposes of this section, recipient shall include any legal entity receiving compensation or a retirement allowance from the MBTA Retirement Fund, including, but not limited to, the MBTA Retirement Fund’s employees, contractors, board members and retirement plan members.”

(c) Section 14C of chapter 7 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (h) the following new subsection:- “(h 1/2) (1) The searchable database shall be updated to include the items in subsection (b), if applicable, relative to the MBTA Retirement Fund, as well as: (a) for each employee of the fund and member of the retirement board, their name, title, current salary and total amounts paid each year since 2006 inclusive; (b) for each retiree receiving an allowance from the fund, their name, location, job title at retirement and total amount paid each year since 2006 inclusive; (c) for any other legal or physical person not covered by any other provision of this subsection but receiving payments from the fund, their name, location, capacity in which payment is disbursed, total amount paid each year since 2006 inclusive and a brief explanation. (2) The MBTA Retirement Fund shall provide the secretary all information necessary for the secretary to be considered in compliance with this section.”

SECTION 2. Section 12 of Chapter 11 is hereby amended by inserting after the words “general court” the words: “including any person, corporation, association, trust, partnership, the MBTA Retirement Fund, or other legal entity which receives or expends public funds for the payment or administration of pensions as defined in section 1 of chapter 32 for any current or former employees of the commonwealth, any constituent unit or any political subdivision thereof.”

SECTION 3. Section 18 of chapter 30A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting the words “and the MBTA Retirement Fund” after the words “any part thereof”.

SECTION 4. Section 22 of chapter 30A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection:- “(h) The MBTA Retirement Fund shall make accessible publicly on its official website and at no cost to the user the minutes of its board meetings within seven days of the day the meeting is held, except as provided in section 21.”

SECTION 5. Section 5 of chapter 268A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subsection (b 1/2) the following new subsection:- “(b 3/4) a former employee of the MBTA Retirement Fund who, within two years after his last employment has ceased, appears personally before the MBTA Retirement Fund or any of its employees and officials as agent or attorney for anyone other than the commonwealth in connection with any particular matter in which the commonwealth, a state agency or the MBTA Retirement Fund is a party or has a direct and substantial interest, or”