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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 281 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2639
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
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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.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/10/2023Brian M. Ashe2nd Hampden2/23/2023 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
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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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
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subdivision (4A) the following seven
3subdivisions: -
4 (4B) Parochial school or public or private academy. A member who taught in a parochial
5school or in a public or private academy may purchase up to 10 years of service credit for that
6service under subdivisions (4C) to (4H), inclusive.
7 (4C) The member shall have taught in a school approved by the department of education
8or 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,
10make contributions into the members retirement fund, for the years of private or parochial school
11teaching on the same basis as the member would have made contributions had the service been
12as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth, including interest at a rate to be set by the 2 of 3
13board not to exceed regular interest by more than five percentage points. The member’s earnings
14for the years of private or parochial school teaching must be assumed to have been the same as
15the average salary for teachers in the Commonwealth as determined by the department of
16education for each of the years when the private or parochial school teaching took place. Interest
17shall be computed beginning at the end of the year when those contributions would have been
18made, if the service had been as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth, to the date of
19payment. Payment must be made by a single direct payment or annual direct payments to the
20retirement 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
23be as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth.
24 (4G) Upon completion payment of the contributions under subdivision (4D) the member
25shall be granted service credit for the period of time for which the contributions have been made.
26Upon making partial payment of the contributions under subdivision (4D) the member shall be
27granted 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
29service credit for private or parochial school teaching is not allowed under (4C) or (4E)
30additional service credit for private or parochial school teaching is allowed for any member who
31meets the requirements of subdivisions (4B) and (4F) if the member, before any retirement
32benefit becomes effective for that member, pays into the member’s retirement fund, by a single
33direct payment or annual direct payments to the retirement system, an amount equal to the 3 of 3
34contributions he would have otherwise paid into the retirement system for said period together
35with regular interest thereon.
36 Annual payments shall be made in accordance with subdivision (4A).