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S 1851

Establishes a New York Main Street development center in the division of housing and community renewal

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pam Helming and 6 co-sponsors

Allows an affidavit to prove an entry physical occurred and showed no condition when records are missing, easing pension/admin claims for police and other public safety staff.

REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 1851

Summary — S.1851 (Senate Docket No. 2093)

An Act relative to maintenance of physical examinations records for public safety personnel

Main purpose / intent

The bill amends Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws to allow a sworn affidavit to serve as satisfactory evidence that a public safety member received a physical examination on entry into service — and that the examination revealed no evidence of a particular medical condition — when the employer has failed to retain the original physical-examination record. The intent is to address situations where historical entry physical records are missing and to remove an evidentiary barrier for members and employers in administrative or pension-related proceedings.

Key provisions

  • Amends three provisions of Chapter 32:
    • Section 94
    • Section 94A
    • Section 94B(1)
  • In each section the identical language is added: if an employer failed to maintain the record of a member’s physical examination on entry into service, the member or employer may submit an affidavit attesting that the member did undergo the entry physical and that the examination revealed no evidence of the condition in question. That affidavit "shall constitute satisfactory evidence" that the physical occurred.
  • The bill does not specify additional verification procedures, penalties for false affidavits, or changes to substantive eligibility rules; it addresses the evidentiary standard only.

Who is affected

  • Primary: public safety personnel covered by Chapter 32 (state/local members subject to Chapter 32 retirement and disability provisions — e.g., firefighters, police, other public safety employees as defined under existing law).
  • Secondary: employers (municipalities, public agencies) who are responsible for personnel records; retirement boards and adjudicative bodies that evaluate disability and service-connection claims; legal counsel and claims administrators who handle pension/disability documentation.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Administrative relief: simplifies proving that an entry physical was performed when records are lost or unavailable, potentially speeding claims and reducing disputes.
  • Risk/oversight: relying on affidavits may increase the risk of incorrect or fraudulent attestations; the statutory text treats a sworn affidavit as "satisfactory evidence" without adding verification steps or sanctions in this bill.
  • Neutral on benefit entitlement: the bill changes the evidentiary mechanism, not substantive eligibility criteria for benefits or presumptions elsewhere in law.

Procedural status and sponsors (as provided)

  • Filed: Senate docketed 1/17/2025 (Senate No. 1851). Presented by Senator Paul R. Feeney (Bristol and Norfolk).
  • Procedural notes (record provided contains some inconsistent/duplicative entries): referred to multiple committees (including Housing, Public Service and later to Finance); hearing scheduled 06/02/2025; reported favorably by committee and referred to Senate Rules on 11/13/2025; status listed as "REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE" in the record.
  • Note on sponsors list: the bill text and filing indicate Senator Paul R. Feeney as the proponent; an extended sponsor list in the materials appears to mix federal and other names and is likely erroneous or unrelated to this state bill.

If you want, I can:
- Pull the exact current procedural status from the Massachusetts legislative web site, or
- Draft a short memo on how this evidentiary change might affect typical retirement/disability claim workflows for municipal retirement boards.

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

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