An Act to authorize a local option for group retirement classification

This bill allows Massachusetts municipalities and public authorities to voluntarily upgrade the retirement classification for specific groups of their employees. To implement this change, local governments must follow specific voting procedures, such as a majority vote by the city council and approval by the mayor or manager, depending on the type of municipality. The legislation explicitly prohibits using this process to lower the retirement benefits of any public employee group. By enabling these local options, the bill gives communities the flexibility to improve retirement plans for workers without reducing existing benefits.