Legislative Agenda| Legislative Bulletin| Government Links

An integral part of MCOFU’s Government Affairs efforts continues to be its legislative advocacy on Beacon Hill. At the start of every two year legislative session the members of the executive board, with input from the membership, determines which bills we will have filed on MCOFU’s behalf as part of our proactive legislative agenda. Additionally, together with our lobbyists we review all bills that have been filed (over 6,000 in the current legislative session) to determine which ones we will be supportive of, and which ones we will oppose. The guiding principle is to file and/or support legislation that will improve the working conditions and safety for our individual members, and vigorously oppose those that negatively affect the lives of correction officers.

Below please see MCOFU’s proactive legislative agenda for the current 2007-2008 legislative session:

• Assault w/ bodily fluids upon correction officers (SB 1341 - Senator Augustus)

This bill would establish a new subsection within Section 38B of Chapter 127 of the General Laws creating the offense of assault with bodily fluids by prisoners upon a correction officer. The penalty for such an offense would be imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years (misdemeanor) or in state prison for not less than 5 years nor more than 15 years (felony). Legislating a separate and distinct offense of A&B with bodily fluids will confirm the egregious nature of this offense, and allowing for a misdemeanor will give District Attorneys more flexibility to prosecute these crimes.

• Correction Officers Procedural Bill of Rights (HB 1638 - Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty)

Codifies in the General Laws certain rights and privileges of correction officers. For instance, sets forth conditions that must be met when any correctional officer is under investigation and subject to interrogation by his commanding officer for any reason which could lead to disciplinary action, demotion or dismissal. Also, sets forth that no dismissal, demotion, transfer, reassignment, or other personnel action which might result in loss of pay or benefits or which might otherwise be considered a punitive measure shall be taken against any correctional officer unless such correctional officer is notified of the action and due process has been completed. California and Florida, among other states, currently have similar laws on the books.

• Technical Correction to Group 4 Retirement for Corrections Officers (HB 2691 - Rep. George Peterson)

Under current law (MGL c.32, sec. 28M), a Group 4 corrections officer can retire after 20 years of service at 50% of their salary. This benefit is one of the reasons most officers choose a career with DOC, despite the hazards of the job. Recently, it has come to light that some DOC employees are utilizing a loophole in the law to take advantage of this retirement benefit. For example, an employee who has 19 years of service with the DOC in a non-Group 4 position will become a Group 4 CO for the 20th year and is being allowed to retire at 50%. This scenario clearly violates the spirit of the law, and is unfair to the guys who work the full 20 years as an officer.

The proposed bill would require that in order for an individual to retire at 50% they would have had to of worked a majority of the 20 years in a Group 4 position.

• Binding Arbitration for the Mass. Correction Officers Federated Union (HB 2552 - Rep. Thomas Golden)

Authorizes and regulates the implementation of arbitration if collective bargaining negotiations over the terms of public employee collective bargaining agreements between the commonwealth and the Mass. Correction Officers Federated Union reaches impasse; regulates said arbitration proceedings; articulates factors for consideration by said arbitrators.

• 20/60 Retirement for Corrections Officers (SB 1522 - Senator Joyce)

Under current law (MGL c.32, sec. 28M), a Group 4 corrections officer can retire after 20 years of service at 50% of their salary. The bill would increase the retirement allowance to 60% for those officers who served the entire 20 years at DOC in a Group 4 position.

• Pay Parity for County Corrections Officers (HB 2684 - Rep. Vincent Pedone)

This legislation would mandate that officers of jails and houses of correction shall be paid an amount equal to that of officers of state correctional institutions holding similar positions in the comparable grade or classification. County corrections officers face many of the same job hazards as officers in state facilities, and as such, this bill is a matter of fairness and equity for them.

• Civil Service for County Correction Officers (HB 2685 - Rep. Vincent Pedone)

This bill would mandate that county correction officers who have care and custody of prisoners shall be subject to civil service. County officers face many of the same difficulties and job hazards as officers in state facilities, and should be protected by the civil service laws.

• Heart Bill for County Correction Officers

Bill sought to extend Heart Bill benefits to county COs.Signed into Law – Chapter 162 of the Acts of 2007

• Protect State Employee Health Insurance Benefits

Successfully lobbied for the FY 09 state budget to protect the existing rate of contributions for state employees’ share of the cost of their health insurance at 15% and 20%, for those hired after June 30, 2003.