HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4724        FILED ON: 12/6/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4214

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Mark J. Cusack and Walter F. Timilty

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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 providing for the retirement of William R. Cushing Jr., a police officer in the city known as the town of Braintree.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4724        FILED ON: 12/6/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4214

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 providing for the retirement of William R. Cushing Jr., a police officer in the city known as the town of Braintree.

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. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary and in order to promote the public good, the retirement board of the city known as the Town of Braintree shall retire William R. Cushing Jr., a police officer in the Braintree Police Department, who was injured in the line of duty and, as a result, is permanently incapacitated from performing the essential duties of a police officer. The retirement benefits shall be paid and administered in accordance with section 7 of chapter 32 of the General Laws. Upon retirement, William R. Cushing Jr. shall receive a lump sum payment from the retirement board equal to his total accumulated retirement deductions.

(b) The annual amount of pension payable to William R. Cushing Jr. shall be equal to the regular rate of compensation that would have been payable to him had he continued in service as a police officer at the grade held by him at the time of his retirement until his death or until reaching age 65, whichever first occurs. The retirement shall become effective commencing on the date immediately following the final day for which William R. Cushing Jr. received regular compensation for such employment. The additional benefits granted in this act shall be funded and administered by the retirement board of the city known as the Town of Braintree, consistent with and subject to said chapter 32, except that sections 8, 91 and 91A of said chapter 32 shall not apply. All amounts paid under this act shall be exempt from state and local taxation, and exempt from federal taxation to the extent allowable under federal tax law.

(c) Upon attaining age 65, William R. Cushing Jr. shall receive a pension pursuant to section 7 of said chapter 32, the yearly amount of which shall be equal to 80 percent of the average annual rate of compensation paid to him in the previous 12 months.

(d) Upon the death of William Cushing, the retirement board of the Town of Braintree shall pay his surviving named beneficiary, if then living, a pension, payable in monthly installments, in the amount of 75 per cent of the annualized amount of the pension payable to William Cushing on the date of his death.  This pension shall be subject to 103 of said chapter 32.

(e) William R. Cushing Jr. shall be indemnified for hospital, medical and other healthcare expenses related to treatment of injuries sustained while in the line of duty on June 4, 2021 not otherwise covered by health insurance.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage.