SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2679

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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

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SENATE, April 1, 2024.

The committee on Higher Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 831) of Edward J. Kennedy for legislation to invest in public higher education, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2679).

For the committee,

Joanne M. Comerford

        FILED ON: 2/7/2024

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2679

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

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

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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 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended in line 117 by inserting after the word “hours” the following:- ; or a faculty member who teaches 2 classes of at least 3 or more credits per semester, or 4 classes of at least 3 or more credits 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 section 1, the commonwealth, not the public institutions of higher education, 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 25 per cent 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 35 per cent of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

(c) In the following fiscal year the commonwealth shall pay 45 per cent of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

(d) In the following fiscal year the commonwealth shall pay 55 per cent of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.

(e) In the following fiscal year the commonwealth shall pay 65 per cent 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 75 per cent of the premium costs for coverage of the faculty member.