Section 20C: Retirement board member statement of financial interest
Section 20C. Retirement Board Member Statement of Financial Interest. — (a) Every member of a retirement board shall file a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the commission: (i) within 30 days of becoming a member of a retirement board; (ii) by May 1 of each year thereafter that the person is a member of a retirement board; and (iii) by May 1 of the year after the person ceases to be a member of a retirement board.
(b) The commission shall, upon receipt of a statement of financial interests under this section, issue to the person filing the statement a receipt verifying the fact that a statement of financial interests has been filed and a receipted copy of the statement.
(c) No member of a retirement board may continue in the member's duties unless the member has filed a statement of financial interests with the commission as required by this section.
(d) The statement of financial interests filed under this section shall be on a form prescribed by the commission and shall be signed under penalty of perjury by the reporting person.
(e) A reporting person shall disclose, to the best of the person's knowledge, the following information for the preceding calendar year, or as of the last day of the year with respect to the information required by clauses (2), (3) and (6); provided, however, that the person shall also disclose the same information with respect to the person's immediate family; and provided further, that no amount need be given for the information about the reporting person's immediate family:
(1) the name and address of, the nature of association with, the share of equity in, if applicable, each business with which the person is associated;
(2) the identity of all securities and other investments with a fair market value of greater than $1,000 which were beneficially-owned, not otherwise reportable hereunder;
(3) the name and address of each creditor to whom more than $1,000 was owed; provided, however, that obligations arising out of retail installment transactions, educational loans, medical and dental expenses, debts incurred in the ordinary course of business and any obligation to make alimony or support payments, shall not be reported; and provided further, that such information need not be reported if the creditor is a relative of the reporting person within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity;
(4) the name and address of the source and the cash value of any reimbursement for expenses aggregating more than $100 in the calendar year if the recipient is a member of a retirement board and the source of the reimbursement is a person having a direct interest in a matter before the retirement board of which the recipient is a member;
(5) the name and address of the donor and the fair market value, if determinable, of any gifts aggregating more than $100 in the calendar year, if the recipient is a member of a retirement board and the source of the gift is a person having a direct interest in a matter before the retirement board of which the recipient is a member;
(6) the name and address of the source and the fair market value of any honoraria aggregating more than $100 if the recipient is a member of a retirement board and the source of such honoraria is a person having a direct interest in a matter before a retirement board;
(7) the name and address of any creditor who has forgiven an indebtedness of over $1,000 and the amount forgiven if the creditor is a person having a direct interest in a matter before a retirement board; provided, however, that no such information need be reported if the creditor is a relative within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity of the reporting person, or the spouse of such a relative; and
(8) the name and address of any business from which the reporting person is taking a leave of absence.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the disclosure of information, which is privileged by law.
Failure of a reporting person to file a statement of financial interests within 30 days of receipt of the notice in writing from the commission which states in detail the deficiency and the penalties for failure to file a statement of financial interests or the filing of an incomplete statement of financial interests after receipt of a notice shall result in the removal of the reporting person from the board and the reporting person shall not serve on a retirement board established under this chapter, under chapter 34B or the retirement board of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority; provided, however, that, if the reporting person has filed an incomplete statement of financial interests the removal shall be stayed upon the filing of an appeal under subdivision (4) of section 16. If the non-complying member is an ex-officio member, the member's appointing authority shall appoint a different individual to serve on the board or if the member is directly elected by the people, a different individual shall be appointed to serve on the board by the mayor, county commissioners or board of selectman as the case may be.