WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 1798

Issues distinctive epilepsy awareness license plates and establishes an epilepsy awareness fund and an epilepsy research and education program

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Roxanne Persaud

Amends Chapter 32 to place MassPort police and supervisors in Group 4 retirement, aligning them with other public safety officials' benefits and eligibility.

REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 1798

Summary — S.1798 (Massachusetts) — "An Act relative to Mass Port police officers"

Status: Referred to Transportation (per provided record). Introduced: Jan 17, 2025 / May 15, 2025 (see notes on metadata below)

Important note on metadata: the package you provided contains conflicting metadata (the title refers to epilepsy license plates, sponsors listed are non‑Massachusetts federal/state legislators, and there are duplicate/conflicting dates). This summary is based on the bill text you provided, which amends Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 32 (public employee retirement) to change the retirement classification for Massachusetts Port Authority police personnel.

Main purpose

To include certain Massachusetts Port Authority (MassPort) police employees and their supervisors in Group 4 of the Massachusetts public employee retirement system (Chapter 32, Section 3), thereby placing them under the same retirement classification that currently covers other public safety personnel (e.g., police and fire).

Key provision(s)

  • Amends Section 3 of Chapter 32 (description of Group 4), by inserting after the phrase “fire control men;” the following group:
    • “employees of the Massachusetts port authority who are employed as port officers and supervisors of said employees who shall include port sergeants, lieutenants, captains, assistant chiefs, deputy chiefs, directors;”
  • The change is textual and specific to the Group 4 description in paragraph (g) of subdivision (2) of Section 3.

Who is affected

  • Directly affected: MassPort employees employed as port officers and specified supervisory ranks (port sergeants, lieutenants, captains, assistant chiefs, deputy chiefs, directors).
  • Indirectly affected: MassPort human resources and payroll/benefits administrators, the Massachusetts Contributory Retirement system (MCRS) actuarial and funding calculations, and potentially other employers whose contribution rates could be affected by actuarial adjustments over time.

Practical impact

  • Moving these employees into Group 4 would subject them to the retirement rules, benefits, and protections that apply to Group 4 members. Group 4 generally encompasses public safety employees and provides comparatively enhanced retirement provisions (for example, earlier retirement eligibility, different benefit accrual formulas, and specific disability and death benefits). Exact benefit changes for individual employees depend on Chapter 32 provisions and any implementing guidance or actuarial adjustments.
  • The change could alter employer and employee contribution rates and may have an actuarial/fiscal impact on retirement system liabilities; such fiscal effects are typically determined by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) or actuarial analysis.

Legislative/procedural status (from provided record)

  • Presented in Senate by Nick Collins (petition) and filed as Senate No. 1798 (Senate Docket No. 1946).
  • Multiple entries show referral to Transportation and to the Committee on Public Service; entries also show Passed Senate (3/27/2025) and delivery to the House / referenced to Transportation.
  • A hearing was scheduled for 10/08/2025 (per the record).
  • Note: the timeline entries include duplicate and conflicting dates; please consult the official Massachusetts Legislature website (malegislature.gov) for the authoritative current status.

Additional notes

  • Because the bill text specifically amends Chapter 32 to include MassPort port officers in Group 4, the substantive effect is narrow and targeted to retirement classification. Fiscal and implementation details (e.g., effective date, actuarial cost, changes to contribution rates) are not included in the text provided and would typically be addressed in fiscal notes, committee hearings, or implementing regulations.

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

Sign in to ask a question.