Massachusetts Bills

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2957: An Act relative to veterans' buyback

HD 204 amends Massachusetts retirement laws to provide veterans with a second opportunity to purchase service credit they previously missed. It directly affects veterans in state retirement systems who failed to make a required buyback purchase within the original 180-day window after entering service. The bill extends the deadline to one year from the act's effective date, allowing eligible veterans to apply once for this purchase. Retirement systems must also send written notices about this opportunity to all active members within 90 days of the law taking effect.

Topics ✓ Veterans

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2849: An Act amending credible service of the State Staff

HD 1919 allows veterans who previously served as State Staff members (as defined in Chapter 33, Section 15) to adjust their retirement compensation. Specifically, it permits them to add a 10% makeup payment for each year they received a housing or subsistence allowance that was not included in their original retirement calculation. This applies to veterans who served on State Staff for the prior three years. The change directly affects eligible veterans by increasing their regular annual retirement compensation based on excluded past allowances. The bill modifies how certain allowances are counted toward retirement benefits for this specific group.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2963: An Act relative to veterans' buyback

HD 1023 amends state retirement laws to help veterans count military service toward their retirement benefits. It requires veterans to notify the retirement board upon entering military service and to complete the purchase of military service credit within one year of becoming vested. Veterans who missed the original 180-day window for this purchase can now apply within one year of the bill's effective date. Retirement systems must provide written notice about this opportunity to eligible members within 90 days of the bill taking effect.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2830: An Act relative to credible service positions

This bill amends Massachusetts law to include call firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and police dispatchers in the definition of "creditable service" for public retirement purposes. It directly affects these public safety workers who are compensated for their service, ensuring their time in these roles counts toward retirement benefits. The key provision adds these specific positions to the list of roles that qualify for creditable service under Chapter 32 of the General Laws. The change requires that individuals must have been paid for their service in these roles to receive the credit. This is a straightforward policy adjustment to expand retirement eligibility for certain public safety personnel.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2827: An Act authorizing Jeremiah Z. Valli to purchase creditable service from the Barnstable County Retirement Board

This bill authorizes Barnstable County Retirement Board to allow Jeremiah Z. Valli to purchase credit for his military service time toward his retirement benefits. It specifically permits him to use Section 4(1)(h) of Chapter 32 of the General Laws to buy this credit, overriding Section 3 of Chapter 71 of the 1996 acts. The bill directly affects only Jeremiah Valli, a current member of the Barnstable County Retirement System. It is a procedural measure with no broader policy impact, solely addressing one individual's retirement eligibility.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2927: An Act authorizing certain public employees’ creditable retirement service

This bill amends retirement laws to expand creditable service for certain public employees. It adds Peace Corps, Vista, and AmeriCorps service to the list of qualifying periods for retirement credit (replacing the previous "Peace Corps" reference). It also clarifies that guidance counselors are considered "state employees" for retirement purposes. The changes directly affect public employees who served in these specific national service programs or work as guidance counselors.

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2876: An Act relative to amending retirement eligibility

This bill amends Massachusetts retirement rules for Group 4 state employees by allowing up to four years of prior military service to count toward retirement eligibility when combined with civilian employment. It directly affects current and future Group 4 retirees who have military service history, including public safety and education workers covered under this retirement system. The key change inserts a specific provision into existing law (Section 3(2)g of the General Laws) to include military service as qualifying time for retirement credits. The amendment does not alter benefit calculations but expands how service time is counted toward eligibility requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2911: An Act relative to veteran buy backs

This bill (HD 2547) allows veterans in Massachusetts retirement systems to apply at any time to buy back service time they served before joining the system. It directly affects veterans who are members of these retirement systems and want to count prior military service toward their retirement benefits. The key change amends Chapter 32, Section 4 to state that veterans may apply for creditable service "at any time," removing previous restrictions. It also removes two outdated paragraphs from Chapter 71, Section 3 related to this process. The bill simplifies the process for veterans seeking to include military service in their retirement calculations.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2795: An Act authorizing public employees' creditable retirement service

HD 3140 amends a section of the General Laws to increase the required service period for public employees to earn credit toward retirement benefits, changing the requirement from 4 years to 10 years. This change directly affects public employees covered by the retirement system governed by this law. The key provision modifies a specific statutory section (section 4 of chapter 32) to adjust the calculation of creditable service time. The bill makes a concrete, technical change to retirement eligibility rules without altering benefit amounts or funding mechanisms.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2873: An Act providing creditable service for certain teachers

This bill allows teachers terminated due to a reduction in force (RIF) to count their previous teaching service toward retirement credit if they later return to teaching in another government school district. It requires these teachers to pay into the Annuity Savings Fund an amount equal to what would have been withheld had they remained employed, plus interest, before receiving credit. To qualify, teachers must have completed at least 10 years of total retirement membership service, and the maximum creditable service under this provision is limited to 4 years. The bill directly affects teachers who lost jobs through RIF and rejoin public school teaching, modifying how their prior service is recognized for retirement benefits.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2831: An Act establishing a credible service commission

This bill establishes a special commission to study whether time served as an emergency medical technician, call firefighter, or police dispatcher should count toward creditable service for retirement benefits. The commission, made up of legislative leaders and representatives from fire/police associations, will examine the costs and feasibility of this change. It must submit its report with recommendations to the legislature within one year of the bill's passage. The study directly affects public safety workers in these roles, but the bill itself does not change current retirement rules - only authorizes the investigation.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

passed · Massachusetts · House Mar 30, 2026

H 2792: An Act relative to retirement benefits for Brian P. Costello Jr

HD 3116 is a targeted bill making Brian P. Costello Jr. eligible for the "Retirement Plus" superannuation benefit under Chapter 114 of the 2000 Acts. The bill requires him to pay adjusted contributions (accounting for prior payments plus interest) and directs the retirement board to recalculate his benefit using the Retirement Plus formula, applying it retroactively to his retirement date. This bill directly affects only Brian Costello Jr., altering his specific retirement benefit calculation without changing general retirement laws. It is a personal legislative act, not a broad policy change.

Bill results