Massachusetts H 2639: An Act relative to teachers' retirement credits for parochial schools

Bill Text

1 of 1
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 281 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2639

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to teachers' retirement credits for parochial schools.
_______________
PETITION OF:

NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED:
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. 12th Hampden 1/11/2023
Brian M. Ashe 2nd Hampden 2/23/2023
Natalie M. Higgins 4th Worcester 8/29/2023
Ryan M. Hamilton 15th Essex 1/22/2024
Brian W. Murray 10th Worcester 1/25/2024
Estela A. Reyes 4th Essex 1/26/2024
Frank A. Moran 17th Essex 1/29/2024
James K. Hawkins 2nd Bristol 1/29/2024
Carol A. Doherty 3rd Bristol 1/31/2024
Andres X. Vargas 3rd Essex 2/1/2024

1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 281 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2639
By Representative Puppolo of Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2639) of
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., and Brian M. Ashe relative to retirement credit for private or parochial
school teaching. Public Service.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________

An Act relative to teachers' retirement credits for parochial schools.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:

1 SECTION 1. Section 3 of chapter 32 of the Generals Laws as appearing in the 2004
2 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subdivision (4A) the following seven
3 subdivisions: -
4 (4B) Parochial school or public or private academy. A member who taught in a parochial
5 school or in a public or private academy may purchase up to 10 years of service credit for that
6 service under subdivisions (4C) to (4H), inclusive.
7 (4C) The member shall have taught in a school approved by the department of education
8 or the education department of another state while holding an appropriate teaching certificate.
9 (4D) The member shall before any retirement benefit becomes effective for that member,
10 make contributions into the members retirement fund, for the years of private or parochial school
11 teaching on the same basis as the member would have made contributions had the service been
12 as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth, including interest at a rate to be set by the

2 of 3
13 board not to exceed regular interest by more than five percentage points. The member’s earnings
14 for the years of private or parochial school teaching must be assumed to have been the same as
15 the average salary for teachers in the Commonwealth as determined by the department of
16 education for each of the years when the private or parochial school teaching took place. Interest
17 shall be computed beginning at the end of the year when those contributions would have been
18 made, if the service had been as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth, to the date of
19 payment. Payment must be made by a single direct payment or annual direct payments to the
20 retirement system in accordance with subdivision (4A).
21 (4E) The member shall have begun membership before January 1, 1976.
22 (4F) The member’s last ten years of creditable service before the date of retirement must
23 be as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth.
24 (4G) Upon completion payment of the contributions under subdivision (4D) the member
25 shall be granted service credit for the period of time for which the contributions have been made.
26 Upon making partial payment of the contributions under subdivision (4D) the member shall be
27 granted service credit on a pro rata basis in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
28 (4H) Alternative. In the determination of the retirement benefit under this subdivision, if
29 service credit for private or parochial school teaching is not allowed under (4C) or (4E)
30 additional service credit for private or parochial school teaching is allowed for any member who
31 meets the requirements of subdivisions (4B) and (4F) if the member, before any retirement
32 benefit becomes effective for that member, pays into the member’s retirement fund, by a single
33 direct payment or annual direct payments to the retirement system, an amount equal to the

3 of 3
34 contributions he would have otherwise paid into the retirement system for said period together
35 with regular interest thereon.
36 Annual payments shall be made in accordance with subdivision (4A).