State Senate President Therese Murray, Democrat of Plymouth, has appointed Sen. Ken Donnelly to the Special Commission to study the Massachusetts Contributory Retirement System.

This 15-member commission is charged with performing a comprehensive study of the public pension system in Massachusetts and will provide reform recommendations to the Legislature by Sept. 1.

Donnelly's appointment came on the same day that the state Senate passed pension reform legislation that closes the most egregious loopholes in current pension laws. The bill directs the Commission to review more complex issues within the system, such as current contribution structures and capping large pensions.

Donnelly is serving his first term in the state Senate, and his appointment to this important commission reflects his years of experience and understanding of complicated pension issues.

In 1996, Donnelly was named by the state auditor to serve as one of seven commissioners on the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission, which oversees the state’s 106 retirement systems and over $60 billion in assets. He served as a commissioner for 12 years until his election to the Senate.