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Bill

H 4698

An Act authorizing the state board of retirement board to provide for the payment of retirement benefits to Dale R. Kiley

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Donnie Berthiaume and 1 co-sponsor

Massachusetts authorizes state retirement board to pay benefits to Dale R. Kiley despite ineligibility under standard pension law.

Accompanied a study order, see H5423 (under House Rule 27)
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Bill Summary · H 4698

Legislative bill overview

H 4698 is a special legislation bill that authorizes Massachusetts' state board of retirement to provide retirement benefits to Dale R. Kiley, a specific individual. The bill appears to address a particular case where someone may not qualify for standard retirement benefits under existing law but the legislature seeks to grant them eligibility anyway.

Why is this important

Special legislation bills like this create individualized exceptions to general retirement law, which can affect public pension obligations and establish precedent for similar future requests. These bills involve taxpayer-funded benefits and raise questions about equitable application of retirement policies across the public workforce.

Potential points of contention

  • Precedent concerns: Granting individual exceptions to retirement eligibility may encourage similar requests from other employees in comparable situations, potentially creating inconsistent policy application
  • Fiscal impact: The bill does not specify the financial cost of providing these benefits, making it difficult to assess the long-term pension liability implications
  • Lack of public transparency: The specific circumstances of why Kiley requires special legislation are not detailed in the bill summary, leaving the rationale opaque to public scrutiny

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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