Bill > H3877

This bill provides enhanced retirement benefits for veterans who were retired prior to July 24, 1996, in Massachusetts public retirement systems. Specifically, the bill allows veterans who served in the United States armed forces to receive creditable service time for their military service, with some important limitations: the creditable service cannot exceed four years, cannot be duplicative of existing service credits, and cannot result in retirement benefits exceeding 80% of their base compensation. The bill extends these benefits to both National Guard and Active Reserve personnel, allowing a conversion rate where five years of guard or reserve service can be substituted for each year of active service. Implementation of the bill requires approval by the local legislative body of each retirement system (such as town meetings, city councils, county commissioners, etc.), with members becoming eligible for the additional creditable service the month following local acceptance. The state teachers' and state employees' retirement systems are automatically deemed to have accepted the bill's provisions. Additionally, the bill makes a technical amendment by removing the last sentence of Section 6 in Chapter 116 of the Acts of 2002.

Military Affairs and Security

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H3877