Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S1914 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 795 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1914
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	John C. Velis
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to Parkinson's disease disability and death in firefighters.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and HampshireMarcus S. Vaughn9th Norfolk1/23/2025Steven George Xiarhos5th Barnstable1/23/2025Paul K. Frost7th Worcester1/23/2025Hannah Kane11th Worcester1/29/2025John F. KeenanNorfolk and Plymouth1/29/2025Michael D. BradySecond Plymouth and Norfolk1/31/2025Sal N. DiDomenicoMiddlesex and Suffolk1/31/2025Jacob R. OliveiraHampden, Hampshire and Worcester2/11/2025James K. Hawkins2nd Bristol2/11/2025Bruce E. TarrFirst Essex and Middlesex2/28/2025 1 of 3
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 795 FILED ON: 1/14/2025
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1914
18	18	By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1914) of John C. Velis, Marcus S.
19	19	Vaughn, Steven George Xiarhos, Paul K. Frost and other members of the General Court for
20	20	legislation relative to Parkinson's disease disability and death in firefighters. Public Service.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE SENATE, NO. 1681 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act relative to Parkinson's disease disability and death in firefighters.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Section 26 of chapter 31 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022
32	32	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 106, the words "and ninety-four B"
33	33	3and inserting in place thereof the following words: ",ninety-four B and ninety-four C."
34	34	4 SECTION 2. Chapter 32 of the General Laws are hereby amended by inserting after
35	35	5section 94B the following section:-
36	36	6 Section 94C. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the
37	37	7contrary affecting the non-contributory or contributory retirement system, any condition of
38	38	8impairment of health caused by Parkinson's Disease, resulting in total or partial disability or
39	39	9death to a uniformed member of a paid fire department, or a member of the state police assigned 2 of 3
40	40	10to the fire investigation unit of the department of fire services, or a member of the state police K9
41	41	11unit, or to any permanent crash crewman, crash boatman, fire controlman or assistant fire
42	42	12controlman employed at the General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, members of
43	43	13the 104th fighter wing fire department or members of the Joint Base Cape Cod fire department,
44	44	14shall, if he successfully passed a physical examination on entry into such service or subsequent
45	45	15to such entry, which examination failed to reveal any evidence of such condition, be presumed to
46	46	16have been suffered in the line of duty, unless it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that
47	47	17non-service connected risk factors or non-service connected accidents or hazards undergone, or
48	48	18any combination thereof, caused such incapacity.
49	49	19 (2) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person serving in such positions
50	50	20for fewer than five years at the time that such condition is first discovered, or should have been
51	51	21discovered. Any person first discovering any such condition prior to or within five years from the
52	52	22date on which such person has reached the maximum retirement age shall be eligible to apply for
53	53	23benefits hereunder, and such benefits, if granted, shall be payable as of the date on which the
54	54	24employee last received regular compensation. The provisions of this section shall not apply to
55	55	25any person serving in such position unless such person shall first establish that he has regularly
56	56	26responded to calls of fire or their investigation at the scene during some portion of the period of
57	57	27his service in such position.
58	58	28 (3) Nothing herein shall preclude a member from applying for and receiving benefits
59	59	29under section seven or section nine, subject to the provisions of said sections. 3 of 3
60	60	30 SECTION 3. Section 100 of chapter 32 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022
61	61	31Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 79, the words "and ninety-four B" and
62	62	32inserting in place thereof the following words: ",ninety-four B and ninety-four C."
63	63	33 SECTION 4.Section 100A of chapter 32 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022
64	64	34Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 34, the words "and 94B" and inserting
65	65	35in place thereof the following words: ",94B and 94C."
66	66	36 SECTION 5. The provisions of section two shall not be construed to affect the
67	67	37interpretation of the provisions of sections ninety-four, ninety-four A or ninety-four B of chapter
68	68	38thirty-two of the General Laws.
69	69	39 SECTION 6. The provisions of this act shall be effective in every retirement system
70	70	40established by or operating under the provisions of chapter thirty-two of the General Laws or
71	71	41under the similar provisions of any other general or special law, and for every governmental unit
72	72	42which is a member of such retirement system, notwithstanding the provisions of section twenty-
73	73	43seven C of chapter twenty-nine of the General Laws.
74	74	44 SECTION 7. The provisions of this act shall apply only to a person actively employed as
75	75	45a uniformed member of a paid fire department, or a member of the state police assigned to the
76	76	46fire investigation unit of the department of fire services, or a member of the state police K9 unit,
77	77	47or to any permanent crash crewman, crash boatman, fire controlman or assistant fire controlman
78	78	48employed at the General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, members of the 104th
79	79	49fighter wing fire department or members of the Joint Base Cape Cod fire department on or after
80	80	50the date exactly 5 years prior to the date this law becomes effective.