Joint Committee Hears Bills on Retirement Credits, Military Benefits, and MTRS Dispute

BOSTON — April 14, 2026 — Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Service heard four retirement-related petitions at its April 14 hearing, including a disputed $100,000 educator pension case. Co-Chairs Daniel J. Ryan and Michael D. Brady presided over the 20th hearing of the 194th General Court, receiving testimony on H5246, which would grant Vermont corrections service credit to Massachusetts Probation Service regional supervisor Jason Patrici; a bill from Beverly Police Chief John Lachiller, 63, seeking to remain on the job past the mandatory retirement age at the request of his mayor; and House Bill 5359 and Senate Bill 3800, which would restore military pension credit to Massachusetts judges denied benefits under the 2024 HEROES Act. Judge Dan DeLardi, President of the Massachusetts Judges Conference, testified that the State Retirement Board had rejected applications from two veteran judges citing General Laws Chapter 32, Section 65B, which limits judicial pension calculations to bench service only. Educator Alex Simonello testified that MTRS accepted more than $100,000 of his Rhode Island retirement funds, credited him six-plus years of service, and then reversed course less than a month after his June 30, 2025 retirement, leaving him pensioned at 55 percent of salary rather than the promised 80 percent, with his funds still held by MTRS and an appeal pending before the Division of Administrative Law Appeals.