An Act authorizing the Plymouth County Retirement System to grant creditable service to Judy Hartigan

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by David DeCoste

The bill would grant Judy Hartigan creditable Rockland service for her retirement payout, contingent on her repaying the relevant amount plus interest to the retirement system.

Purpose

This bill proposes a special-act authorization to grant creditable service to Judy Hartigan, the Rockland Town Collector, for service she performed for the Town of Rockland beginning on April 11, 2009 and continuing to the present. The credit would be used to determine Hartigan’s superannuation retirement allowance under the state retirement law (Chapter 32, General Laws).

Key provisions

Section 1: Notwithstanding any general or special law, Hartigan would be credited with creditable service for the Rockland service from April 11, 2009 to the present for computing her retirement allowance.

Payment requirement: Before her retirement allowance becomes effective, Hartigan must make a payment into the Plymouth County Retirement System’s annuity savings fund. The payment must equal the amount that would have been withheld as regular deductions from her compensation for that prior service (or the most recent portion thereof, as she elects), plus regular interest.

Payment method: The payment can be made in a single sum or in installments, under terms and conditions set by the retirement system.

Section 2: The act takes effect upon passage.

Who would be affected

Primary beneficiary: Judy Hartigan (Rockland Town Collector).

Plymouth County Retirement System: Would grant the creditable service and oversee the required payment into the annuity savings fund.

Town of Rockland and the retirement system’s membership/financial statements could be affected indirectly through changes to Hartigan’s retirement allowance calculations.

Fiscal and administrative implications

Hartigan would receive creditable service that could increase her retirement allowance calculation.

Hartigan is required to repay into the annuity savings fund the amount that would have been deducted for that service, plus interest, mitigating possible additional liability to the retirement system.

The bill overrides general or special laws to authorize this single individual creditable service (a “special Act” approach).

Timeline and procedural notes

The bill text is titled as House Docket No. 1889 and was filed in January 2025, with related materials indicating it has been carried into the 2025-2026 session.

The act, if enacted, would take effect upon passage.

The text references a similar matter filed in a prior session, indicating ongoing interest in creditable-service adjustments for Hartigan.

Overall takeaway

HD 1889 seeks to retroactively credit Judy Hartigan with Rockland service for retirement purposes, contingent on her repayment into the retirement fund for the period of service, with interest, prior to any retirement allowance becoming effective. It operates as a targeted, single-person provision rather than a broad change to retirement law.

Bill