Bill > S1398

This bill proposes to amend Section 9B of Chapter 32B of the General Laws, which deals with public employee retirement benefits, by changing how the cost of health insurance premiums is shared for surviving spouses of retirees. Currently, the law states that the governmental unit (like a city or town) pays "the entire cost of such premiums without any contribution by the governmental unit," meaning the retiree or their survivor pays the full premium. This bill seeks to change that by inserting language that would require the governmental unit to pay "the same percentage of premium that had been paid by the employee or retired employee," meaning the governmental unit would contribute a portion of the premium cost, rather than the entire amount being borne by the surviving spouse.