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.