SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1686        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1669

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Nick Collins

_________________

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 providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public-sector workers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

 

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

2/25/2021

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

2/25/2021

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

2/25/2021

Michael F. Rush

Norfolk and Suffolk

2/25/2021

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

2/25/2021

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

3/1/2021

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

3/1/2021

John J. Cronin

Worcester and Middlesex

3/4/2021

Edward J. Kennedy

First Middlesex

3/4/2021

Jessica Ann Giannino

16th Suffolk

3/4/2021

Adam J. Scanlon

14th Bristol

3/4/2021

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

3/4/2021

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

3/5/2021

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

3/8/2021

Paul R. Feeney

Bristol and Norfolk

3/10/2021

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

3/13/2021

Paul F. Tucker

7th Essex

4/3/2021

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

4/3/2021

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

4/3/2021

Susan L. Moran

Plymouth and Barnstable

4/3/2021

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

4/3/2021

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

5/10/2021

Marc R. Pacheco

First Plymouth and Bristol

8/20/2021

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

11/24/2021

Adam G. Hinds

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

11/24/2021

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

11/24/2021


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1686        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1669

By Mr. Collins, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1669) of Nick Collins, Brendan P. Crighton, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Michael O. Moore and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public-sector workers.  Public Service.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public-sector workers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 32 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following new section after Section 4:-

SECTION 1. (a) The following words shall have the following meanings

“Employee”, a person by employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; its political subdivisions, state and community colleges and universities under the board of higher education and the University of Massachusetts.

“COVID-19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus,” three years added to age or years of service or a combination thereof for the purpose of calculating a retirement benefit  

SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and finance shall identify all employees who have volunteered to work or who have been required to work at their respective worksites or any other worksite outside of their personal residence during the COVID-19 state of emergency declared by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on March 10, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

(b) On or before June 30, 2021, the secretary of administration shall work with employers of employees defined in this section to identify and provide a list of employees and their home mailing address to the state retirement board and all other relevant retirement boards documenting the employees’ eligibility for the COVID -19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus defined in Section 3 of this Act hereinafter referred to as “credit”.  Said retirement boards shall notify in writing each employee who will be eligible for the credit.

SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding chapter 32 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, and not before receiving from the secretary of administration and finance the report required under subsection (a) of section 2, the state board of retirement and all other relevant retirement boards shall establish and make the credit available to eligible employees. Said credit shall be available for use by eligible employees at any time on or after the effective date of this act.