HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 11        FILED ON: 1/6/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 11

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act relative to veterans’ buyback.

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. Section 3 of chapter 71 of the acts of 1996, as most recently amended by chapter 468 of the acts of 2002, is hereby amended by striking the second paragraph.

SECTION 2. Paragraph (h) of subdivision (1) of section 4 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting in line 148 after the words “shall be” the following words: “provided written notice by the retirement board upon entry into service that they are”.

SECTION 3. Said paragraph (h) of subdivision (1) of section 4 of said chapter 32, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby further amended by inserting in line 151 after the word “member” the following words: “, prior to or within one year of vesting under the provisions of this chapter,”.

SECTION 4. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any member of a retirement system, who is a member in service and a veteran, who failed to make the purchase authorized in paragraph (h) of subdivision (1) of section 4 of chapter 32 of the General Laws within the required 180 days pursuant to chapter 71 of the Act of 1996 as amended shall be given one opportunity within 1 year from the effective date of this act to apply to their retirement system to make said purchase. No additional opportunities to purchase this service shall be allowed. Retirement systems shall provide written notice to all members in service of their potential eligibility for this purchase within 90 days of the effective date of this act.