Amendment #10 to H4661

Public Employee Pension Buyback for Military Service Time

Mr. Gordon of Bedford moves to amend the bill by striking out Section 9 and Section 10 and inserting in place thereof the following section:

"SECTION 9.  Subsection (h) of section 4 of chapter 32, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is hereby amended by striking the fourth paragraph in its entirely and inserting:

Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any other general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a member in service of a retirement system as defined in section one shall be provided notice by the retirement board upon entry into service that if they qualify  as a veteran who served in the armed forces of the United States they are entitled to credit for active service in the armed services of the United States; provided, however, that such active service shall not be credited until such member prior to or within 1 year of vesting pursuant to this chapter has paid into the annuity savings fund of such system, in one sum or in installments, upon such terms and conditions as the board may prescribe, makeup payments, for each year of creditable service sought, of an amount equal to the ten percent of the regular annual compensation of the member when said member entered the retirement system; and, provided further that such creditable service shall not be construed to include service for more than four years provided further, that such creditable service shall not be allowed for any period of active service for which said veteran has received credit pursuant to paragraph (h) of subsection (1) of section 4 of chapter thirty-two of the General Laws. This act shall apply to National Guard and Active Reserve personnel, both former and present. Creditable service time, both enlisted and commissioned may be applied toward retirement on a ratio of five years guard service or five years active reserve service substitutable for each year of active service. National Guard and Reserve personnel shall not be precluded from making said purchase should they qualify as a veteran after vesting, or if they reach the maximum of four years of eligible service purchase subsequent to vesting and qualifying as a veteran, provided that they enter into a purchase agreement within 5 years of the last occurring event."

And in Section 115, in line 579, by striking the words “and third paragraphs” and inserting in place thereof the word “paragraph”.