SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2744

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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SENATE, March 10, 2022.

The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 841) of Edward J. Kennedy, Maria Duaime Robinson and Michael D. Brady for legislation to invest in public higher education, reports the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2744).

For the committee,

Anne M. Gobi

        FILED ON: 2/2/2022

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2744

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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An Act investing in public higher education.

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 2 (e) of Chapter 32A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended in line 117 by inserting after the word “hours” the following: - “; or a faculty member who teaches the equivalent of at least two three or more- credit courses per semester, or four three or more- credit courses per calendar year at one or more of the public institutions of higher education in the state, as set forth in Section 5 of Chapter 15A, including a division of continuing education, regardless of funding source, including but not limited to subsidiary account CC, and regardless of the term of employment or participation or membership in a retirement system or plan; provided, that the commonwealth, not the public higher education institutions, shall bear the cost.”

SECTION 2. For those employees included in through SECTION 1 of this bill, the commonwealth, not the public higher education institutions, shall bear the cost of implementing coverage, using the schedule set forth:

a.) In the fiscal year in which this act is signed into law, the commonwealth shall pay twenty-five percent (25%) of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

b.) In the first fiscal year, following this act becoming law, the commonwealth shall pay thirty-five percent (35%) of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

c.) In the following fiscal year, the commonwealth shall pay forty-five percent (45%) of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

d.) In the following fiscal year, the commonwealth shall pay fifty-five percent (55%) of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

e.) In the following fiscal year, the commonwealth shall pay sixty-five percent (65%) of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

f.) In the following fiscal year and all fiscal years proceeding, the commonwealth shall pay seventy-five percent (75%) of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.