Bill > S1386

This bill amends existing law to allow certain public employees to receive credit towards their retirement service for time spent in the armed forces, provided they received an honorable discharge. Specifically, it changes the requirement from being a "veteran who served in the armed services" to having "received an honorable discharge from the armed services." Furthermore, it allows members of the retirement system who have completed ten or more years of membership service and were honorably discharged from the armed services, or are currently serving in the Massachusetts National Guard or an Active Reserve component, to receive this creditable service, with specific conditions for those currently serving. For retirement systems of political subdivisions, this act takes effect upon a majority vote of the system's board and the local legislative body, with provisions for how "local legislative body" is defined for different types of subdivisions. Eligible members must apply for this creditable service within 180 days of being notified of their eligibility or within 180 days of the act's acceptance by the local legislative body. Importantly, this act does not apply to members who already benefited from similar creditable service provisions from a previous law.