JUD 118

QUINN BILL REIMBURSEMENTS

Mr. Morrissey moved that the bill be amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-
SECTION X: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, Payments previously disbursed by a city or town to a police officer in fiscal year 2009 under Section 108L of Chapter 41, the police career incentive pay program also known as the “Quinn Bill”, shall not be recouped from the police officer by the city or town in either fiscal year 2009 or 2010 where the city or town receives a reduced reimbursement or no reimbursement from the state for the payments.

JUD 124QUINN BILL RETIREMENT BUYBACK

Mr. Morrissey moved that the bill be amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-
SECTION X: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, Any police officer that retires within three years of July 1, 2009 and is required to take a pay reduction due to a shortfall in funding of the police career incentive program as set forth in Section 108L of Chapter 41 also known as the “Quinn Bill”, from a salary in effect on June 30, 2009 shall be allowed to make a voluntary contribution to the Massachusetts Employees Retirement Plan equal to their pension contribution based on their projected salary as if they had received the pay increase the police career incentive program. 

EPS 385
Quinn Bill
Mr. Timilty moved that the bill amended, in Section 2, by inserting, after line item 8000-0038, the following new item:-
“8000-0040     For police career incentives to reimburse certain cities and towns for career incentive salary increases for police officers…..25,000,000”.

EPS 406
POLICE COMPENSATION STUDY
Mr. Tarr moved that the bill be amended by inserting, after Section X, the following new Section:-
“SECTION XX.    There is hereby established a special commission to study the compensation of municipal police officers compensation and the members of the Massachusetts Department of State Police.  Said commission shall consider, but not be limited to, the types and amounts of compensation necessary to attract and maintain officers and troopers with appropriate levels of education, training and experience to provide efficient and effective law enforcement throughout the Commonwealth and the means by which to provide such compensation fairly and sustainably with regard to individuals, classes of individuals, and as between sources such as the Commonwealth and its municipal subdivisions.
In the conduct of said study the commission may consider the practices of other states, counties and law enforcement jurisdictions as well as the content of published research and scholarly journals.  The commission may, in the course of its efforts, hold one or more hearings, provided that public testimony shall be received at least one such hearing if any are held.
Said commission shall consist of members appointed by the Governor as follows: one member representing the Massachusetts Police Chiefs, one member representing each union of local and state police officers in the Commonwealth, five members representing municipal officials, at least one of whom shall be a mayor, the Secretary of Public Safety or his designee, whom shall serve as the chair of the commission, the Secretary of Administration and Finance or his designee, a member representing the citizens of the Commonwealth, and a member possessed of expertise in matters pertaining to law enforcement and employee compensation.
Said commission shall file a report detailing its findings, together with any legislative recommendations arising therefrom, not later than twelve months following the passage of this act.

EPS 416
Police Career Incentives
Mr. Brewer moved that the bill be amended by inserting at the end of the bill the following new Section: -
            “Section ___. (a) There shall be a special commission on police career incentives consisting of 3 members of the senate, 1 of  whom shall be the senate chair of the joint committee on higher education, 1 of whom shall be the senate chair of the joint committee on public safety and 1 of whom shall be a member of the minority party who shall be appointed by the minority leader; provided, however, that 1 member of the senate shall be designated as co-chair of the commission; 3 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be the house chair of the joint committee on higher education, 1 of whom shall be the house chair of the joint committee on public safety and 1 of whom shall be a member of the minority party who shall be appointed by the minority leader; provided, however, that 1 member of the house shall be designated as co-chair of the commission; the secretary of the executive office of public safety, or his designee; the chancellor of higher education, or his designee; the president of the Massachusetts Association of Chiefs of Police, or his designee; a representative of the Massachusetts Fraternal Order of Police; a representative of the State Police Association of Massachusetts; the president of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, or his designee; and 3 persons to be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall have expertise in the field of criminal justice, 1 of whom shall be a municipal representative, and 1 of whom shall be the secretary of executive office of administrative and finance, or her designee.
            (b) The organizational session of the commission shall be convened by the co-chairs not later than 60 days after the effective date of this act whether or not all of the governor’s designees=2 0have been appointed.
            (c) The special commission shall make an investigation and study of the status of the career incentive pay program established pursuant to section 108L of chapter 41 of the General Laws including, but not limited to: (1) an assessment of the number of police officers with higher education degrees; (2) an investigation of salaries paid to officers utilizing the incentive program as compared with neighboring states’ salaries and incentive programs; (3) an assessment on the impact said program has had on decreasing the number of law suits against police officers and municipalities; (4) the cumulative cost to state and local governments in terms of increased operating costs for wages and impact on state and municipal pension liability; (5) an assessment on the current incentives provided to officers and a determination of how wages for officers with higher education degrees would be affected without the incentive program; (6) the impact of requiring a higher education degree for all police officers as an job requirement; (7) a comparison of the wage benefits conferred by the incentive program with the increase in earning power expected to be experienced by all person in the Commonwealth as a result of higher educational attainment; and (8) any other matters that the special commission considers relevant to the fulfillment of its mission and purpose.
            (d) The board of higher education and the execu tive office of public safety shall provide staff and other resources as the commission and those agencies consider appropriate. The special commission shall make its final report and recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the joint committee on public safety not later than January 1, 2010. The special commission may make such interim reports as it considers appropriate.

EPS 428
QUINN BILL
Mr. Tarr moved that the bill be amended by inserting, after Section X, the following new Section:-
“SECTION XX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Quinn Bill shall be phased out over the next five years.”

EPS 431
FAIRLY ELIMINA TING THE QUINN BILL
Mr. Tisei moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, by inserting after line item 8000-0038 the following line item: -
“8000-0040     For police career incentives to reimburse certain cities and towns for career incentive salary increases for police officers; provided, however, that regular full-time members of municipal police departments hired on or after July 1, 2009 shall not be eligible to participate in the career incentive pay program established pursuant to section 108L of chapter 41 of the General Laws; provided further, that any current regular full-time member of a municipal police department who has not started accumulating points pursuant to said section 108L of said chapter 41 of the General Laws, as of September 1, 2009, shall not be eligible to participate in the career incentive pay program established pursuant to said section 108L of said chapter 41 of the General Laws; and provided further, that any current regular full-time member of a municipal police department who has begun to accumulate points pursuant to said section 108L of said chapter 41 of the General Laws as of September 1, 2009 shall be allowed to accumulate the only the  number of points provided by said section 108L of said chapter 41 of the General Laws for which degree they are currently pursuing…………$50,202,122”

May 1, 2009

Funding for the Quinn Bill has been eliminated from the State budget proposal offerred by the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

This budget proposal is by no means the final fiscal year 2010 budget for The commonwealth of Massachusetts.

On Thursday April 16, 2009, an amendment to the proposed budget was submitted by State Representative Chris Fallon (D-Malden). This amendment called for full restoration of all funding to the Quinn Bill. This amendment needs support from the other members of the House of Representatives. It is of vital importance that every member, along with their families, immediately contact their Representative and urge them to support this amendment.

Your Representative can be contacted by calling their individual office or by calling the State House at 617 722-2000 and asking to be connected to your Representative.