HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2901        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2505

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Daniel M. Donahue

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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 to provide fair and affordable public retiree benefits.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2901        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2505

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act to provide fair and affordable public retiree benefits.

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. Subsection (c) of section 102 of chapter 32, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended, in line 34, by striking out the figure “$13,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure: - “$18,000”

SECTION 2. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as so appearing, is hereby further amended, in line 38, by striking out the figure “$13,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure: - “$18,000”

SECTION 3. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as so appearing, is hereby further amended, in line 46, by striking out the figure “$13,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure: - “$18,000”

SECTION 4. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 1 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 34, by striking out the figure “$18,000” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “65 per cent of the maximum social security benefit for an individual worker retiring at full retirement age”

SECTION 5. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 2 of this act, is hereby further amended, in line 38, by striking out the figure “$18,000” and inserting in place thereof, the following words:- “65 per cent of the maximum social security benefit for an individual worker retiring at full retirement age”

SECTION 6. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 3 of this act, is hereby further amended, in line 46, by striking out the figure “$18,000” and inserting in place thereof, the following words:- “65 per cent of the maximum social security benefit for an individual worker retiring at full retirement age”

SECTION 7. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 4 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 34, by striking out the figure “65” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “75”

SECTION 8. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 5 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 38, by striking out the figure “65” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “75”

SECTION 9. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 6 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 46, by striking out the figure “65” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “75”

SECTION 10. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 7 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 34, by striking out the figure “75” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “85”

SECTION 11. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 8 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 38, by striking out the figure “75” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “85”

SECTION 12. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 9 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 46, by striking out the figure “75” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “85”

SECTION 13. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 10 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 34, by striking out the figure “85” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “95”

SECTION 14. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 11 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 38, by striking out the figure “85” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “95”

SECTION 15. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 12 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 46, by striking out the figure “85” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “95”

SECTION 16. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 13 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 34, by striking out the figure “95” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “100”

SECTION 17. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 14 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 38, by striking out the figure “95” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “100”

SECTION 18. Said subsection (c) of section 102 of said chapter 32, as most recently amended by section 15 of this act, is hereby amended, in line 46, by striking out the figure “95” and inserting in place thereof, the following figure:- “100”

SECTION 19. Section 9 of chapter 32B, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, after the first paragraph, the following paragraph: -

Any reduction in the percentage of a governmental unit’s contributions to health premiums for retired employees made after January 1, 2023 shall not apply to individuals that retire before the change in contribution percentage takes effect.

SECTION 20. Notwithstanding chapter 32A or 32B of the General Laws, for retired public employees that are over the age of 65 and not eligible for the federal Medicare program, the maximum amount of out-of-pocket costs for covered services under a group health insurance plan under chapter 32A or 32B during an enrollment year shall not exceed $2,500 for individual coverage and $5,000 for family coverage.

SECTION 21. Sections 1-3 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2023.

SECTION 22. Sections 4-6 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

SECTION 23. Sections 7-9 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2029.

SECTION 24. Sections 10-12 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2033.

SECTION 25. Sections 13-15 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2037.

SECTION 26. Sections 16-18 of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2041.