Amendment #26 to H3899

Retired Teachers' Health Insurance Costs

Representatives Fennell of Lynn and Walsh of Lynn moves to amend the bill by adding at the end thereof the following sections:-

SECTION X1. The third paragraph of section 3 of chapter 38 of the acts of 2013, as amended by section 41 of chapter 118 of the acts of 2013, is hereby further amended by striking out the second to last sentence.

SECTION X2. Said section is hereby further amended by inserting the following paragraph after the third paragraph: —

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall begin a 4-year phase-in of equal increments to include health care costs for retired teachers as part of net school spending, as defined in section 2 of chapter 70 of the General Laws, for any district in which such costs were not considered part of net school spending in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1994. For fiscal year 2014, one-quarter of such cost shall be included in calculating fulfillment of net school spending requirements; provided further, that in districts currently in level IV or level V status under the commonwealth’s accountability and assistance system, the commissioner may delay or limit the inclusion of such costs in calculating net school spending until such time as their status is lowered to level III or below at which time the commissioner shall begin, or resume, a 4-year phase-in of the remaining costs; and provided further, that during the 4-year phase-in period authorized under this section, the commissioner may waive penalties associated with deficiencies in net school spending requirements up to an amount that can be attributed to non-inclusion of health care costs for retired teachers if the commissioner approves a schedule submitted by the district to meet such requirements no later than at the end of the 4-year phase in period.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #26 to H3899

Retired Teachers' Health Insurance Costs