Rep. LeBoeuf files bill to fold Turnpike Authority retirement plan into state system

Representative David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf filed a bill in the Massachusetts General Court on Jan. 13, 2025, that would amend the Acts of 2009 to move Massachusetts Turnpike Authority retirement coverage into the Massachusetts State Employees’ Retirement System.

The bill, filed as House No. 2893, would (1) make employees of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation who are hired after the act’s effective date members of the Massachusetts State Employees’ Retirement System and assign liabilities for that service to the state system; and (2) dissolve the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Employees’ Retirement System upon the dissolution of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, transfer its records and assets to state agencies, and make pension payments obligations of the commonwealth.

Under Section 1 of the draft text, as printed in the filing, employees of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation “who are hired after the effective date of this act shall become members of the Massachusetts State Employees’ retirement system,” and the state system “shall be responsible for all liability attributable to said service of such employees.” Section 1 also cross‑references paragraph (c) of subdivision (8) of section 3 of chapter 32 of the General Laws for recovery of liabilities attributable to other service.

Section 2 of the filing addresses the Turnpike Authority retirement board directly. It says that “effective upon the date of dissolution of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority” the Turnpike Authority Employees’ Retirement System would be dissolved; members would become members of the Massachusetts State Employees’ Retirement System; management of the dissolved system’s benefits and records would transfer to the State Board of Retirement (referenced in section 18 of chapter 10 and subdivision (5) of section 20 of chapter 32); and assets in the custody of the authority’s secretary‑treasurer would be transferred to the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board and become assets of the State Employees’ Retirement System.

Section 2 further states that, upon dissolution of the authority, “the payment of all annuities, pensions, retirement allowances and refunds of accumulated total deductions and of any other benefits granted under the sections 1 to 28, inclusive, of said chapter 32 are hereby made obligations of the commonwealth.”

The filing lists effective dates in two later sections: Section 3 says “Section 1 shall take effect on January 1, 2010,” and Section 4 says “Section 2 shall take effect on July 1, 2009.” Those dates appear in the bill text as printed and are reported here exactly as written in the filing; the filing itself is dated Jan. 13, 2025.

The document is a petition and bill filing to the House of Representatives; the filing does not record any House votes or enactment. The text in the filing would change existing language in Chapter 25 of the Acts of 2009 and makes multiple cross‑references to Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws and to section 18 of chapter 10. Whether any of the provisions would take effect depends on future legislative action and, for some provisions, the dissolution of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority as specified in the bill text.

No quotes from the sponsor appear in the filing text included here; the filing lists Representative David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf of the 17th Worcester district as the sponsor and shows the bill filed with the House on Jan. 13, 2025.

Next steps: As a filed House bill, House No. 2893 would proceed through the legislative process — referral to committee, possible hearings, and votes — before any transfer or dissolution provisions in the bill could take effect.