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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 721 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1519
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul R. Feeney
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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 to ensure pay parity for county sheriffs' correction officers and jail officers.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul R. FeeneyBristol and NorfolkNick CollinsFirst SuffolkHannah Kane11th Worcester1/30/2023Ryan C. FattmanWorcester and Hampden2/24/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 721 FILED ON: 1/17/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1519
By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1519) of Paul R. Feeney, Nick
Collins, Hannah Kane and Ryan C. Fattman for legislation to ensure pay parity for county
sheriffs' correction officers and jail officers. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1587 OF 2021-2022.]
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 to ensure pay parity for county sheriffs' correction officers and jail officers.
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 17 of Chapter 37 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by adding the following paragraph:
3 Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, The Correction Officers and
4Jail Officers working in the fourteen (14) County Sheriffs' Offices throughout the
5Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall re‐titled Correction Officer I, II and III or Jail Officer I,
6II, and III, and be paid base salaries according to the corresponding salary Grade in State
7Bargaining Unit 4 covering the Department of Correction job titles of Correction Officer I, II, or
8III. County Sheriffs’ Office, Correction Officers and Jail Officers shall be slotted into such Unit
94 titles according to where the core duties and responsibilities of such Correction Officers and
10Jail Officers within the County Sheriffs’ Offices most closely approximate the core duties and 2 of 2
11responsibilities of the corresponding Department of Correction CO I, II, and III titles. The
12foregoing compensation adjustment shall be structured so that the salary rates for Sheriffs' Office
13Correction Officer I, II, III and Jail Officer I, II, III equalize with the general Department of
14Corrections base salary rates in through equal annual increments over the three fiscal years after
15next following the passage of this legislation by the General Court and its enactment by the
16Governor. Upon the enactment of this legislation, County Sheriffs will not be required to bargain
17under G. L. Chapter 150E with public employee organizations representing County Sheriffs
18Correction Officers I, II and III or Jail Officers I, II and III over base salary rates for such
19Officers covering the three fiscal year period in which such Officers are receiving salary rates
20pursuant to this legislation, but shall otherwise remain obligated to comply with collective
21bargaining agreements, if any, covering such Officers and, in all other respects, except as
22otherwise provided herein, shall remain obligated to comply with their obligations under Chapter
23150E with respect to such Officers and the public employee labor organizations representing
24such Officers during such three fiscal year period. Following the three fiscal year period covered
25by this legislation, Chapter 150E shall once again fully apply to County Sheriffs as it relates to
26Correction Officers I, II, and III and Jail Officers I, II and III in all respects, including but not
27limited to the negotiation of base salary rates with public employee organizations representing
28them.