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Legislation
Association Opposes Tax Cut Initiative
JULY 2000 - Calls Ballot Question "Dangerous" - Buried beneath the hype and prestige of the presidential election this November is a ballot initiative that seeks to roll the state income tax rate back to 5%. The proposal is sponsored by Citizens For Limited Taxation and Government (CLTG), along with the political backing of Governor Paul Cellucci and most of the state’s Republican establishment.
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Legislative Update
JULY 2000 - Formal Sessions To End July 31 - After many long months of lobbying, much of the Association’s legislative package was acted on as part of the FY 2001 state budget. In addition to the annual COLA, non-contributory COLA, dental coverage, prescription drug appeals, and the right to remarry law, our legislative team was successful in passing several other key provisions as riders in the so called "outside sections" of the budget.
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Right To Remarry Going To Governor
JULY 2000 - Legislature Adds Provision To Budget - One of the oldest most archaic provisions of Massachusetts retirement law (Chapter 32) is about to change. After years of lobbying by survivors, the Professional Firefighters (PFFM), the Mass Police Association, and our Association, those members receiving survivor’s pensions will now be able to remarry if they so chose.
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Disability Retirements On The Decline
MAY 2000 - Few Retirees Found Fit To Return To Work - In the three years since PERAC, the state’s new disability oversight agency was created, there has been an 8.8% decrease in accidental disability pensions within the Commonwealth’s 106 retirement systems.
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Fast-Paced Legislative Session Ahead
MARCH 2000 - Over the past four years, our Association has kept a close eye on the various proposals that have been filed to further ìreformî the disability retirement law. As we reported in January, there are presently two separate bills pending action before the House that would mark a major shift in our disability retirement law.

As of press time, both bills are being held for further review before they are put to a vote by the full House. State Police retirees need to concern themselves with H-4962, sponsored by the State Police Association, which is before the Committee On Bills In Third Reading. All other disability retirees should note H-4889, which is currently being held on the House calendar.

Both bills are the outcrop of the perception, real or perceived, that the current laws governing the return to active duty by a disability retiree are too lax. Together with most of the public employee unions, the Association has opposed both bills claiming that their passage would harm the rights of our disabled members.

Correction Bill Passes House

The legislature was quick to act on H-319, the so called pension correction bill.When formal sessions reconvened in January, the House engrossed the bill on a voice vote and discharged it to the Senate.

Members will recall that H-319 allows retirement boards the flexibility to waive the repayment of funds owed to the retirement system because of an accounting error. In order to waive the repayment, the retiree or employee must have had no knowledge of the mistake.

In other news, S-1788 (H-352), which allows survivors to remarry without losing their pensions, is gaining support in the Senate. Currently, only survivors of Option C retirees can remarry and keep their pension benefits.The bill is now in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

"We're pleased with the early action on H-319. Boards should be able to address these errors on a case by case basis," said Legislative Liaison Shawn Duhamel. "Support really seems to be growing for the right to remarry bill.We have been working hand-in-hand with the Professional Firefighters on this bill."
 
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