SECTION 1. Section 10B of chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 12, the words “shall be unrelated” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- may be related.

SECTION 2. Said section 10B of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 14, the words “section four” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- sections four, four A and ten C.

SECTION 3. Section 12 of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “of this section,” in lines 3 and 4, the following words:- as of April 1, 2018.

SECTION 4. Said section 12 of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 19, the words “shall be unrelated” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- may be related.

SECTION 5. Said section 12 of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the words “provisions of sections four,” in line 21, the following words:- , four A.

SECTION 6.  Said section 12 of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 25, the word “shall” and inserting in place thereof the following word:- may.

SECTION 7. Said section 12 of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in lines 27 to 32 inclusive, the words, “; provided, however, when deemed advisable by the commission in the interest of attaining a more favorable total monthly cost and overall claim experience, the claim experience of the health insurance coverages provided under this section may be combined with the claim experience of the health insurance coverages provided under section ten B.”

SECTION 8. Said section 12 of said chapter 32A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after subsection (f) the following subsection:-

(f½) No political subdivision may accept the provisions of this section after April 1, 2018.