Amendment ID: S2655-51

Amendment 51

Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust

Messrs. Oliveira and Gómez move that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section 101 the following section:-

“SECTION 101A. Notwithstanding section 23 of chapter 59 of the General Laws, section 31 of chapter 44 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, a city, town or district that was a member unit of the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust in fiscal years 2026 or 2027 or before may amortize over the subsequent five fiscal years, in equal installments or more rapidly, the amount of its unanticipated Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust health insurance-related deficit for either fiscal year 2026 or fiscal year 2027, but not both; provided, however, that the member unit shall certify in writing to the division of local services of the department of revenue not later than June 30, 2027 that the member unit has withdrawn from the trust. The commissioner of revenue shall issue guidelines or instructions: (i) as to the amount that constitutes unanticipated health insurance-related deficit for fiscal year 2026 or 2027 under this section; and (ii) for reporting the amortization of deficits authorized by this section. The local appropriating authority, as defined in section 21C of said chapter 59, shall adopt a deficit amortization schedule in accordance with the department of revenue’s guidelines or instructions under this section before setting the municipality’s fiscal year 2027 tax rate.”.