An Act correcting pension inequity for James G. Clothier

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Julian Cyr

Allows James G. Clothier to buy 10 years of NY teaching service for MA TRS, paying $18,502, with retroactive credit included in his 2002 retirement calculation.

House concurred

Overview

Purpose: To rectify a pension inequity by allowing James G. Clothier to purchase ten years of creditable service in the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) for his service as a public school teacher in New York State, and to have that purchased service counted toward his Massachusetts retirement calculations retroactively to June 30, 2002.

Status: House concurred (procedural step completed in support of passage through the Legislature).

Introduced: February 27, 2025.

Filed/Filed Date: Senate Docket No. 1747 filed January 16, 2025; presented by Senator Julian Cyr.

Type: Private/individual relief measure intended to address an inequity specific to James G. Clothier.

Key Provisions

Purchase of NY service

The Teachers’ Retirement Board is authorized and directed to permit James G. Clothier to purchase ten years of creditable service in the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System.
Purchase price: $18,502.14.
The purchase is allowed even if Clothier is currently receiving any pension or retirement benefit from a New York State teacher retirement system or program.

Retroactive credit and calculation

Once the purchase is completed, the ten years of service shall be deemed as having been purchased on January 26, 1998.
This purchased service shall be included in the calculation of Clothier’s superannuation retirement allowance from the TRS retroactively to his retirement date, which is June 30, 2002.

Effective date

The act takes effect upon passage.

Affected Parties and Impacts

Primary beneficiary: James G. Clothier (individual relief recipient).

Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System: Must process the purchase and adjust the retirement calculation accordingly.

Financial implications: Clothier would pay $18,502.14 for the ten years of creditable service; the bill does not specify additional state costs beyond authorizing the purchase and recalculating benefits for Clothier. The provision ensures compatibility with any concurrent NY benefits.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Legislative actions:

2025-02-27: Referred to the Committee on Public Service.
2025-02-27: House concurred (advancing the bill toward final passage).

Effective date: Upon passage.

Context: The bill references a closely related matter previously filed in a prior session (Senate No. 1639, 2023-2024).

What this bill does (in plain terms)

It allows a one-time, private adjustment for James G. Clothier to buy back ten years of NY teaching service for MA TRS purposes, pay a specified amount, and have that service count toward his MA retirement benefits retroactively to 2002. This is intended to correct a pension inequity by aligning his MA retirement calculation with his full service history.

Bill