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S 1807

Relates to prohibiting charges for the issuance of a certificate of still birth or pregnancy loss

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jeremy Cooney and 3 co-sponsors

Treats MBTA advisory board staff paid by the board as public retirement system employees, making them eligible for pension and related benefits with immediate effect.

SUBSTITUTED BY A2311A
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 1807

Summary — S.1807 (2025) — “An Act relative to certain employees of the MBTA advisory board”

Note on source materials: The bill text filed January 15, 2025, addresses retirement-status changes for employees paid by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) advisory board. (The header/title you supplied referencing “prohibiting charges for the issuance of a certificate of still birth or pregnancy loss” appears to be a separate subject and does not match the bill text below; this summary is based on the actual bill text in the legislative docket.)

Main purpose

S.1807 amends Massachusetts retirement law to treat certain persons whose regular compensation is paid by the advisory board to the MBTA as “employees” for purposes of the public retirement statutes (chapter 32 and related provisions). The bill is declared an emergency law and is intended to take effect immediately.

Key provisions

  • Adds a specific sentence to the definition of “Employee” in section 1 of chapter 32 (Public Employee Retirement System) to include:
    • “Employee, as applied to persons whose regular compensation is paid by the advisory board to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority established in chapter 161A, shall mean any person who is engaged in duties which require that the person’s time be devoted to the service of said advisory board in each year during the ordinary working hours of regular and permanent employees.”
  • Inserts references to “the advisory board to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority as established in chapter 161A” at multiple points in section 1 of chapter 32 where other public entities (e.g., “system”, “District”) are enumerated.
  • Amends section 2 of chapter 32A to insert the advisory board alongside the “Authority” in language governing related statutes (chapter 32A covers certain health insurance and benefits provisions applicable to public employees).
  • Declares the act an emergency law to establish retirement benefits forthwith.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Persons whose regular compensation is paid by the MBTA advisory board and who perform duties during ordinary working hours similar to regular, permanent employees — these individuals would be explicitly recognized as “employees” under chapter 32 and thus become eligible for coverage/benefits under the public retirement statutes and related benefit provisions.
  • Secondary: MBTA advisory board (administration), MBTA, state public retirement systems and health/benefit programs, and ultimately taxpayers and the State Retirement Board (because of potential changes in benefit eligibility and liability).

Likely impacts and considerations

  • Eligibility: Advisory-board-paid staff who meet the time/service criteria would gain access to the public retirement system and related benefits (pension/retiree health provisions where applicable).
  • Fiscal: Potential increase in membership of the state retirement system and associated actuarial/liability impacts. The bill text does not include appropriation language; a fiscal note would be needed to quantify employer contribution increases and long‑term costs to the pension system and other benefit funds.
  • Administrative: The State Retirement Board, MBTA advisory board, and payroll/HR offices would need to implement enrollment, employer contribution withholding, and record-keeping changes.
  • Effective date: Immediate (emergency clause).

Legislative status / timeline (selected)

  • Filed in Senate: January 15, 2025 (Senate Docket No. 1082 / Senate No. 1807).
  • Declared an emergency law in text (immediate effect intended).
  • Referred to Committee on Public Service; later procedural activity shows referral to Finance and scheduling of hearings in mid‑2025.
  • Committee action and floor movement in June 2025: ordered to third reading; committee discharged and committed to rules.
  • June 10, 2025: SUBSTITUTED BY A2311A — indicates the House/Senate substitute bill A2311A supersedes S.1807; details of the substitute may differ and should be reviewed.

Next steps / recommendation

  • Review substitute bill A2311A for final language and any substantive differences.
  • Obtain the fiscal note for the substitute/final bill to assess pension and budgetary impact.
  • If affected, MBTA advisory board staff and the State Retirement Board should prepare implementation plans for enrollment, payroll contributions, and benefit administration.

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

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