HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4633 FILED ON: 10/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4164
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. and Bruce E. Tarr
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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 exempting Thomas Romeo from the 75% pension and annuity limitation for police officers hired after January 1, 1988 set forth in Chapter 32, Section 7(2)(a)(ii) of the General Laws.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. | 20th Middlesex | 10/18/2023 |
Bruce E. Tarr | First Essex and Middlesex | 10/18/2023 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4633 FILED ON: 10/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4164
By Representative Jones of North Reading and Senator Tarr, a joint petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr. and Bruce E. Tarr (by vote of the town) relative to accidental disability retirement benefits for Thomas Romeo, a retired police officer of the town of North Reading. Public Service. [Local Approval Received.] |
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 exempting Thomas Romeo from the 75% pension and annuity limitation for police officers hired after January 1, 1988 set forth in Chapter 32, Section 7(2)(a)(ii) of the General Laws.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
WHEREAS, Thomas Romeo, a retired officer of the police department of the Town of North Reading, was determined to be totally and permanently incapacitated from performing the essential duties of a police officer pursuant to G.L. c. 32, §§7, 94, by the Middlesex County Retirement Board, which was approved by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission.
WHEREAS, Romeo relied to his detriment on inaccurate calculations provided to him by the Middlesex Retirement Board that were based through no fault of his own on an incorrect membership date and contributed to critical decisions made by him regarding his retirement;
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of G.L. c. 32, §7(2)(a)(ii), the annual amount of pension payable to Thomas Romeo shall be amended and re-calculated as if his membership date with Middlesex County Retirement System was January 10, 1985.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, Romeo will be exempt from the following clause contained in chapter 32, section 7(2)(a)(ii) of the General Laws: "provided however, that for any employee who was not a member in service on or before January 1, 1988 or who has not been continuously a member in service since that date, the total yearly amount of the sum of such pension and the annuity as determined in accordance with clause (i) shall not exceed 75 per cent of the annual rate of regular compensation as determined in this paragraph;".
SECTION 3. The recalculation by the Middlesex County Retirement System shall be retroactive to Romeo's effective retirement date of January 20, 2023.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon its passage.