Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title IV Chapter 32B
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 32B, § 2 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 2. As used in this chapter the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—

''Appropriate public authority'', as to a county, except Worcester county, the county commissioners; as to a city, the mayor; as to a town, the selectmen; as to a district, the governing board of the district and for the purposes of this chapter if a collective bargaining agreement is in place, as to a commonwealth charter school as defined by section 89 of chapter 71, the board of trustees; and as to an education collaborative, as defined by section 4E of chapter 40, the board of directors.

''Commission'', the group insurance commission established by section 3 of chapter 32A.

''Dependent'', an employee's spouse, an employee's unmarried children under 19 years of age and any child 19 years of age or over who is mentally or physically incapable of earning the child's own living; provided, however, that any additional premium which may be required shall be paid for the coverage of such child 19 years of age or over; provided further, that ''dependent'' shall also include an unmarried child 19 years of age or over who is a full-time student in an educational or vocational institution and whose program of education has not been substantially interrupted by full-time gainful employment, excluding service in the armed forces; provided further, that any additional premium which may be required for the coverage of such student shall be paid in full by the employee. The standards for such full-time instruction and the time required to complete such a program of education shall be determined by the appropriate public authority.

''District'', any water, sewer, light, fire, veterans' services or other improvement district or public unit created within 1 or more political subdivisions of the commonwealth to provide public services or conveniences.

''Employee'', any person in the service of a governmental unit or whose services are divided between 2 or more governmental units or between a governmental unit and the commonwealth, and who receives compensation for any such service, whether such person is employed, appointed or elected by popular vote, and any employee of a free public library maintained in a city or town to the support of which that city or town annually contributes not less than one-half of the cost; provided, however, that the duties of such person require not less than 20 hours, regularly, in the service of the governmental unit during the regular work week of permanent or temporary employment; provided further, that no seasonal employee or emergency employees shall be included, except that persons elected by popular vote may be considered eligible employees during the entire term for which they are elected regardless of the number of hours devoted to the service of the governmental unit. A member of a call fire department or other volunteer emergency service agency serving a municipality shall be considered an employee, if approved by vote of the municipal legislative body, and the municipality shall charge such individual 100 per cent of the premium. If an employee's services are divided between governmental units, the employee shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be considered an employee of the governmental unit which pays more than 50 per cent of the employee's salary. But, if no one governmental units pays more than 50 per cent of that employee's salary, the governmental unit paying the largest share of the salary shall consider the employee as its own for membership purposes, and that governmental unit shall contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the premium. If the payment of an employee's salary is equally divided between governmental units, the governmental unit having the largest population shall contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the premium. If an employee's salary is divided in any manner between a governmental unit and the commonwealth, the governmental unit shall contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the premium. An employee eligible for coverage under this chapter shall not be eligible for coverage as an employee under chapter 32A. Teachers and all other public school employees shall be deemed to be employees during the months of July and August under this chapter; provided, however, that employee contributions for such health insurance for those 2 months are deducted from the compensation paid for services rendered during the previous school year. A determination by the appropriate public authority that a person is eligible for participation in the plan of insurance shall be final. Nothing in this paragraph shall apply to Worcester county or its employees.

''Employer'', the governmental unit.

''Governmental unit'', any political subdivision of the commonwealth.

''Health care flexible spending account'', a federally-recognized tax-exempt health benefit program that allows an employee to set aside a portion of earnings to pay for qualified expenses as established in an employer's benefit plan.

''Health care organization'', an organization for the group practice of medicine, with or without hospital or other medical institutional affiliations, which furnishes to the patient a specified or unlimited range of medical, surgical, dental, hospital and other types of health care services.

''Health reimbursement arrangement'', a federally-recognized tax-exempt health benefit program funded solely by an employer to reimburse subscribers for qualified medical expenses.

''Optional Medicare extension'', a program of hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance for such active employees and their dependents and such retired employees and their dependents, except elderly governmental retirees insured under section 11B, as are eligible or insured under the federal health insurance for the aged act, as may be amended from time to time.

''Political subdivision'', any county, except Worcester county, city, town or district.

''Savings'', for the purposes of sections 21, 22 and 23, shall mean the difference between the total projected premium costs for health insurance benefits provided by a political subdivision with changes made to health insurance benefits under section 22 or 23 for the first 12 months after the implementation of such changes and the total projected premium costs for health insurance benefits provided by that subdivision without such changes for the same 12 month period.

''Subscribers'', employees, retirees, surviving spouses and dependents of the political subdivision and may include employees, retirees, surviving spouses and dependents of a district who previously received health insurance benefits through the political subdivision.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases, 1962–2020 · leading case: Connors v. City of Boston, 430 Mass. 31 (Mass. 1999).
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Connors v. City of Boston, 430 Mass. 31 (Mass. 1999). · cites it 6× “7 On December 11, 1998, the judge ruled that the executive order is inconsistent with provisions of G. L. c. 32B, §§ 2 (b) and 15 (b), 8 and granted the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary *34 injunction.”
Goodridge v. Dep't of Pub. Health, 440 Mass. 309 (Mass. 2003). “31, 43 (1999) [domestic partners of city employees not included within term “dependent” as used in G. L. c. 32B, § 2]); thirty-nine week continuation of health coverage for the spouse of a person who is laid off or dies (e.”
Twomey v. Town of Middleborough, 468 Mass. 260 (Mass. 2014). · cites it 3× “’’ G. L. c. 32B, § 2. With respect to a town, the “appropriate public authority” that shall contract for the services of an HMO is “the selectmen.”
Ret. Bd. of Stoneham v. Contributory Ret. Appeal Bd., 65 N.E.3d 650 (Mass. 2016). “at 750-751 , citing G. L. c. 32B, §§ 2 (d), 3. Municipalities had the authority to make a “final” determination of a person’s eligibility to participate in the insurance program.”
Lexington Educ. Ass'n v. Town of Lexington, 448 N.E.2d 1271 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). · cites it 2× “The proviso of G. L. c. 32B, § 2(d), merely excludes from the all-encompassing definition of “employee” those who work fewer than twenty hours per week.”
Galenski v. Town of Erving, 28 N.E.3d 470 (Mass. 2015). “” G. L. c. 32B, § 2. As a public school principal, Galenski held a position that falls within this definition.”
Anderson v. Bd. of Selectmen of Wrentham, 548 N.E.2d 1230 (Mass. 1990). · cites it 2× “” The term “[governmental unit” is defined in G. L. c. 32B, § 2 (/), as “any political subdivision of the commonwealth,” while “[pjolitical subdivision” is defined in § 2 (g), as including a “town.”
Town of Middleborough v. Middleborough Gas & Elec. Dep't, 664 N.E.2d 25 (Mass. 1996). “533 (1962) (commission a “public unit” for purposes of G. L. c. 32B, § 2[c]). Moreover, MG&ED itself directs our attention to numerous cases in which courts have adjudicated disputes between cities or towns and entities within them, or between two entities created by a city or…”
Opinions of the Justices to the House of Representatives, 696 N.E.2d 502 (Mass. 1998). · cites it 2× “Notwithstanding the provisions of any other general or special law to the contrary, including, without limiting the generality hereof, the provisions of G. L. c. 32B, § 2 (b), the city of Boston is hereby authorized to extend health benefit coverage to ‘domestic partners’ of…”
Yeretsky v. City of Attleboro, 424 Mass. 315 (Mass. 1997). “The statute uses the term “health care organization,” as defined in G. L. c. 32B, § 2 (f). We use the now more common term “health maintenance organization” (HMO) throughout this opinion.”
Mun. Light Comm'n v. State Employees' Grp. Ins. Comm'n, 183 N.E.2d 286 (Mass. 1962). “The plaintiffs as the members of the Municipal Light Commission of Taunton (Taunton commission) seek a declaratory decree to determine that it is a public unit ’ ’ and hence a ‘‘ district ’ ’ within the meaning of G. L. c. 32B, § 2 (c), as appearing in St.”
Boss v. Town of Leverett (Mass. 2020). “In Galenski, the municipal policy was preempted by State law;14 the court concluded that a town could annually contributes not less than one-half of the cost; provided, however, that the duties of such person require not less than [twenty] hours, regularly, in the service of the…”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 32B, § 2(b) — 1 case
Connors v. City of Boston, 430 Mass. 31 (Mass. 1999). “7 On December 11, 1998, the judge ruled that the executive order is inconsistent with provisions of G. L. c. 32B, §§ 2 (b) and 15 (b), 8 and granted the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary *34 injunction.”
— Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 32B, § 2(d) — 1 case
Lexington Educ. Ass'n v. Town of Lexington, 448 N.E.2d 1271 (Mass. App. Ct. 1983). “The proviso of G. L. c. 32B, § 2(d), merely excludes from the all-encompassing definition of “employee” those who work fewer than twenty hours per week.”
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