MA Legislative Update- New Hearing Date 7-21-2021

The COVID-19 Pension Credit Hearing has been rescheduled to July 21st at 1pm! The public has until 7/16 to register to testify in person and 7/28 to submit written testimony.

Here are the details: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/3758

Postponing the hearing just gives us more time to tell our stories and reach out to the committee and legislators. 

H2808, co-sponsored by State Representative Jon Zlotnik and State Senator John Velis, at the request of AFSCME Council 93, and S1669 sponsored by Sen. Nick Collins have a hearing date scheduled for Wednesday, July 7th at 1pm. These bills seek to reward Massachusetts’ frontline public-sector workers who have been required to work outside of their homes during the Covid-19 pandemic with a three-year credit towards their retirement.

If you wish to testify or view the hearings the details are below:

  • When: Wednesday, July 7th at 1pm
  • Where: Virtually (View Here- www.malegislature.gov)
  • Details: Pre-Register to testify before the Joint Committee on Public Service HERE in Support of H2808 and S1669 (The deadline to sign up to provide live testimony before the Committee is Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Per committee rules, the Chair will limit testimony to three minutes per individual. Written or pre-recorded testimony is strongly encouraged, and may be submitted to the Committee via email to [email protected]. The Committee will accept written testimony through Wednesday, July 14 at 5:00pm. For questions or assistance with accessing this hearing, please contact [email protected] or 617-722-2575)

Please contact Council 93's Legislation, Communications, & Political Action Jim Durkin or John Killoy if you have any questions or issues!

For almost a year and a half now, tens of thousands of essential Massachusetts public-sector workers have been faithfully reporting to work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the continued delivery of critical public services.

Despite personal risk to themselves and their families, they leave the safe confines of their homes every day to provide the vital public services that the people of Massachusetts rely on and often take for granted.

  • Our state human services workers continue to provide quality compassionate care to our most vulnerable populations.  
  • The men and women in public works departments continue to maintain vital infrastructure systems. Our public safety professionals continue to work tirelessly in correctional facilities, keep our communities safe, and respond to emergencies.  
  • Our public health inspectors continue to ensure we are protected by safe standards and regulations.  
  • Our school nurses have shifted to doing important contact tracing work to limit the spread of the virus, while other school support staff have been ensuring the continued delivery of nutritious meals to hungry children.

Their bravery, sacrifice, and service deserves recognition.