Since the July edition of The Voice, the public hearing process has picked up pace. According Nancy McGovern, Director of Healthcare & Retirement Advocacy, “To date, 12 of the bills filed by the Association for the 2025–2026 legislative session has been scheduled for public hearings before their assigned committees, predominately Public Service. And, the Association has submitted testimony in support of each bill heard to date.”
BILLS HEARD:
Below is a breakdown of each bill, including the date of the hearing and bill sponsor.
- H1150 LOCAL WITHDRAWAL FROM GIC (5/13/2025) -Rep. Rodney Elliott
- S1810 ORDINARY DISABILITY MINIMUM (6/2/2025) -Sen. Brendan Crighton
- H2874 GIC MEDICARE BUY-IN PROGRAM (6/4/2025) -Rep. Brad Jones
- H2907 GIC OUT-OF-POCKET MAXIMUM (6/4/2025) – Rep. John Mahoney
- H2801 SURVIVOR INSURANCE (6/4/2025) -Rep. Marjorie Decker
- H2787 RELIEF FOR PRE-JULY 2004 OPTIONS (b) & (c) RELIEF (6/25/2025) -Rep. Tackey Chan
- S1867 INCREASE IN OPTION (D) MINIMUM PENSION (6/25/2025) -Sen. Cindy Friedman
- S1918/H2834 VETERANS’ BONUS (6/25/2025) -Sen. John Velis/Rep. Dennis Gallagher
- H2854 EXTEND VOTE TO SURVIVORS IN BOARD ELECTIONS (7/9/2025) -Rep. Danielle Gregoire
- H2890 TRANSPARENCEY IN MUNICIPAL HEALTH INSURANCE (7/9/2025) -Rep. John Lawn
- S1848/H2799 LOCAL RETIREE INSURANCE PROTECTION (7/9/2025) -Sen. Paul Feeney/Rep. Mike Day
- S1917 EXTEND DEFINITION OF VETERAN FOR VETS BONUS (7/9/2025) -Sen. John Velis
BILLS REMAINING TO BE HEARD:
The remaining three bills filed by the Association for the 2025–2026 session had not yet received a public hearing at the time of printing. We anticipate that the House and Senate bills related to the COLA will not be scheduled for a hearing until the Special COLA Commission (see page 7) concludes its work this fall.
- H2888 INSURANCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSITION -Rep. Kathleen LaNatra
- H2835 MINIMUM EMPLOYER PENSION SYSTEM APPROPRIATION -Rep. Dennis Gallagher 5
- S1808/H2794 STATE & TEACHERS’ COLA BASE & COLA ENHANCEMENT FOR LONG-TERM “CAREER” RETIREES -Sen. Brendan Crighton/Rep. Mark Cusack
STATE BUDGET UPDATE FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET SIGNED
With Key Provisions for Public Retirees
Governor Maura Healey signed the FY2026 Massachusetts state budget on July 4, delivering several important provisions for public retirees:
- 3% COLA Approved: Retirees in the State and Teachers’ Retirement Systems saw a 3% cost-of-living increase in their July pension checks.
- Pension & GIC Funding: The budget includes a full $4.9B pension contribution and $2.2B for the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), with retiree premium rates unchanged from FY2025.
- GLP-1 Coverage Change: The Governor reduced the GIC line item by $27.5M which is tied to a directive by the Governor for the GIC to no longer cover GLP-1 medications prescribed solely for weight loss.
- Request for Expanded 9C Powers: The Governor asked for broader authority to make mid-year cuts.