| 1 | 1 | | 1 of 1 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1156 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1919 |
|---|
| 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 the retirement of Greg Heath, a former firefighter of the city of Westfield. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and Hampshire 1 of 2 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1156 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1919 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1919) of John C. Velis (with approval |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | of the mayor and city council) for legislation relative to the retirement of Greg Heath, a former |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | firefighter of the city of Westfield. Public Service. [Local Approval Received.] |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 2369 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 the retirement of Greg Heath, a former firefighter of the city of Westfield. |
|---|
| 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. Notwithstanding chapter 32 of the General Laws or any other general or |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | 2special law to the contrary the Westfield retirement board shall retire Greg Heath under section 7 |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | 3of chapter 32 based upon any condition of impairment of health caused by Parkinson's Disease |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | 4which it determines was incurred as a result of his employment. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | 5 SECTION 2. The payments provided for in this act shall only be made after said member |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | 6has been examined by a medical panel, pursuant to section 6 of chapter 32 of the General Laws, |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | 7which has certified by a majority of the medical panel physicians that said member is mentally or |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | 8physically incapacitated from further duty, that such incapacity is likely to be permanent, and |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | 9that such incapacity is such as might be the natural and proximate result of Parkinson's Disease; |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | 10provided, however, that the public employee retirement administration commission may, upon 2 of 2 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | 11request, waive such medical panel examination if the member has previously been examined by |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | 12a medical panel and is receiving a disability benefit as of the effective date of this act. The |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 13commission shall promptly notify the retirement system of such waiver. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | 14 SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon September 26, 2020. |
|---|