To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives,

Pursuant to Article LVI, as amended by Article XC, Section 3 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, I am returning to you for amendment House Bill No. 4957, “An Act Establishing a Sick Leave Bank for John Taylor Woodward, an Employee of the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department.”

Sick leave banks are established to provide much needed relief to state employees who have exhausted all leave time due to serious medical challenges.  Sick leave banks are funded by those employees’ generous colleagues, who contribute their own vacation, sick and/or personal time.  In this case, we have learned that this employee is employed at the Office of Community Corrections in the Department of the Trial Court and not at the Hampshire County Sheriff’s Department, as was stated in the enacted legislation.

I, therefore, recommend that House Bill No. 4957 be amended by striking out the text thereof and inserting in place thereof the following text:-

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the trial court shall establish a sick leave bank for John Taylor Woodward, an employee of the office of community corrections in the department of the trial court. Any employee of the department may voluntarily contribute 1 or more sick, personal or vacation days to the sick leave bank for use by John Taylor Woodward. If John Taylor Woodward terminates employment with the trial court or requests to dissolve the sick leave bank, any remaining time in the sick leave bank shall be transferred to the trial court paid leave bank. Sick leave bank days shall not be used for absences unrelated to the illness or disability that necessitated the establishment of the sick leave bank as determined by the trial court.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted

Charles D. Baker,

Governor