SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2457        FILED ON: 2/3/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Nick Collins

_________________

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 relative to providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public-sector workers.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

 

Jacob R. Oliveira

Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester

2/24/2023

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

4/13/2023

Steven George Xiarhos

5th Barnstable

6/21/2023

Patricia A. Haddad

5th Bristol

9/19/2023

Marcus S. Vaughn

9th Norfolk

11/14/2023

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Hampden

4/10/2024


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2457        FILED ON: 2/3/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

By Mr. Collins, a petition (accompanied by bill) (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Nick Collins for legislation relative to providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public-sector workers.  Public Service.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act relative to providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public-sector workers.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Chapter 32 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following new section after Section 4:-

SECTION 1. (a) The following words shall have the following meanings

“Employee”, a person by employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; its political subdivisions, state and community colleges and universities under the board of higher education and the University of Massachusetts.

“COVID-19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus,” three years added to age or years of service or a combination thereof for the purpose of calculating a retirement benefit  

SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and finance shall identify all employees who have volunteered to work or who have been required to work at their respective worksites or any other worksite outside of their personal residence during the COVID-19 state of emergency declared by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on March 10, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

(b) On or before June 30, 2021, the secretary of administration shall work with employers of employees defined in this section to identify and provide a list of employees and their home mailing address to the state retirement board and all other relevant retirement boards documenting the employees’ eligibility for the COVID -19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus defined in Section 3 of this Act hereinafter referred to as “credit”.  Said retirement boards shall notify in writing each employee who will be eligible for the credit.

SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding chapter 32 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, and not before receiving from the secretary of administration and finance the report required under subsection (a) of section 2, the state board of retirement and all other relevant retirement boards shall establish and make the credit available to eligible employees. Said credit shall be available for use by eligible employees at any time on or after the effective date of this act.