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Association Opposes Tax Cut Initiative |
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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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Read more...
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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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Read more...
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Right To Remarry Going To Governor |
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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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Read more...
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Disability Retirements On The Decline |
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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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Read more...
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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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