BOSTON - July 30, 2025 - Representative Mike Connolly joined his Cambridge and Somerville colleagues in the the House of Representatives today to pass H.4361, An Act relative to benefits for teachers, legislation that would extend benefits for retired teachers who are then hired to work for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education (EOE) and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The bill would allow those employees to retain the status of “teacher” and remain in the Teachers’ Retirement System.
“We know the incredible impact teachers have on our students’ lives and so its right to make sure these public servants receive the retirement benefits they have rightfully earned through years of dedication to young people,” Representative Mike Connolly said. “Today's vote will support so many teachers across Cambridge, Somerville, and beyond who are nearing or in retirement.”
The change that this bill makes applies to teachers who are vested in the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System, or in the Boston Retirement System, and are subsequently employed by EOE or DESE.
Employees of EOE or DESE who are members of the state employees’ retirement system, and who are reinstated in the Teachers' Retirement System or the Boston Retirement System because of the passage of this bill, would not be deemed to have had an interruption of membership or service. Upon reinstatement, the member must pay into the annuity savings fund of the Teachers' Retirement System or the Boston Retirement System. The bill also mandates that a reinstated member be entered into the state employees’ retirement system as a Group 1 state employee upon retirement.
The bill passed today also establishes a new one-time opportunity to elect to participate in the alternative superannuation retirement benefit program for active or inactive members of the Teachers' Retirement System who: are a teacher or school nurse; became eligible for membership before July 1, 2001; began contributing to the Teachers' Retirement System before July 1, 2001; and did not provide a written election to participate or held a good faith belief that they elected to participate in the alternative superannuation retirement benefit program to the Teachers' Retirement System before July 1, 2001 nor at any other time prior to September 1, 2025.
Having passed the House of Representatives 158-0 the bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration.
