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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1549 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2865
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Natalie M. Higgins and 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 teacher’s retirement buyback for former parochial school teachers.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Natalie M. Higgins4th Worcester1/15/2025Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.12th Hampden1/15/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/21/2025Brian W. Murray10th Worcester1/21/2025Frank A. Moran17th Essex1/21/2025James M. Murphy4th Norfolk1/22/2025Estela A. Reyes4th Essex1/28/2025James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester2/8/2025Sally P. Kerans13th Essex2/10/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/14/2025John J. Marsi6th Worcester2/14/2025Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk2/14/2025Joshua Tarsky13th Norfolk2/14/2025William C. Galvin6th Norfolk2/19/2025Colleen M. Garry36th Middlesex2/23/2025Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable2/28/2025Patrick Joseph Kearney4th Plymouth3/10/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1549 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2865
By Representatives Higgins of Leominster and Puppolo of Springfield, a petition (accompanied
by bill, House, No. 2865) of Natalie M. Higgins, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. and others relative to
teacher’s retirement buyback for former parochial school teachers. Public Service.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to teacher’s retirement buyback for former parochial school teachers.
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 six
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 (4G), 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’s last ten years of creditable service before the date of retirement must
22be as a state employee or teacher in the Commonwealth.
23 (4F) Upon completion payment of the contributions under subdivision (4D) the member
24shall be granted service credit for the period of time for which the contributions have been made.
25Upon making partial payment of the contributions under subdivision (4D) the member shall be
26granted service credit on a pro rata basis in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
27 (4G) Alternative. In the determination of the retirement benefit under this subdivision, if
28service credit for private or parochial school teaching is not allowed under (4C) or (4E)
29additional service credit for private or parochial school teaching is allowed for any member who
30meets the requirements of subdivisions (4B) and (4F) if the member, before any retirement
31benefit becomes effective for that member, pays into the member’s retirement fund, by a single
32direct payment or annual direct payments to the retirement system, an amount equal to the
33contributions he would have otherwise paid into the retirement system for said period together
34with regular interest thereon. 3 of 3
35 Annual payments shall be made in accordance with subdivision (4A).