Rhode Island SB 2355: AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS

Bill Text

2026 -- S 2355
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LC004330
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM --
CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS
Introduced By: Senators Patalano, LaMountain, Dimitri, Appollonio, Ciccone, Tikoian,
Famiglietti, Thompson, Raptakis, and Burke
Date Introduced: January 30, 2026
Referred To: Senate Labor & Gaming

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 36-10-36 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-10 entitled "Retirement 1
System — Contributions and Benefits" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
36-10-36. Post-retirement employment. 3
(a) On and after July 7, 1994, no member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 4
36, or 45 may be employed or reemployed by any state agency or department unless any and all 5
retirement benefits to which the member may be entitled by virtue of the provisions of title 16, 36, 6
or 45 are suspended for the duration of any employment or reemployment. No additional service 7
credits shall be granted for any post-retirement employment or reemployment and no deductions 8
shall be taken from an individual’s salary for retirement contribution. Notice of any such post-9
retirement employment or reemployment shall be sent monthly to the retirement board by the 10
employing agency or department and by the retired member. 11
(b) Any member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 36, or 45 may be 12
employed or reemployed by any municipality within the state that has accepted the provisions of 13
chapter 21 of title 45 and participates in the municipal employees’ retirement system for a period 14
of not more than seventy-five (75) working days or one hundred fifty (150) half days with half-day 15
pay in any one calendar year without any forfeiture or reduction of any retirement benefits and 16
allowances the member is receiving, or may receive, as a retired member. Pension payments shall 17
be suspended whenever this period is exceeded. No additional contributions shall be taken, and no 18

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additional service credits shall be granted, for this service. Notice of this employment or 1
reemployment shall be sent monthly to the retirement board by the employer and by the retired 2
member. 3
(c) Any member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 36, or 45 may be employed 4
or reemployed by any municipality within the state that has not accepted the provisions of chapter 5
21 of title 45 and that does not participate in the municipal employees’ retirement system. 6
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section: 7
(1) Any retired member of the system shall be permitted to serve as an elected mayor, the 8
town administrator, the city administrator, the town manager, the city manager, the chief 9
administrative officer, or the chief executive officer of any city or town, city or town council 10
member, school committee member, or unpaid member of any part-time state board or commission 11
or member of any part-time municipal board or commission, and shall continue to be eligible for, 12
and receive, the retirement allowance for service other than that as a mayor, administrator, council 13
member, school committee member, or member of any state board or commission or member of 14
any part-time municipal board or commission; provided, however, that no additional service credits 15
shall be granted for any service under this subsection; 16
(2) Any retired member, who retired from service at any state college, university, state 17
school, or who retired from service as a teacher under the provisions of title 16, or who retired from 18
service under title 36 or title 45, may be employed or reemployed, on a part-time basis, by any state 19
college, university, or state school for the purpose of providing classroom instruction, academic 20
advising of students, and/or coaching. Compensation shall be provided at a level not to exceed the 21
salary provided to other faculty members employed under a collective bargaining agreement at the 22
institution. In no event shall “part-time” mean gross pay of more than twenty-five thousand dollars 23
($25,000) in any one calendar year. Any retired member who provides such instruction or service 24
shall do so without forfeiture or reduction of any retirement benefit or allowance; provided, 25
however, that no additional service credits shall be granted for any service under this subsection; 26
(3) Any retired member who retired from service as a teacher under the provisions of title 27
16, or as a state employee who, while an active state employee, was certified to teach driver 28
education by the department of elementary and secondary education or by the board of governors 29
for higher education, may be employed or reemployed, on a part-time basis, by the department of 30
elementary and secondary education or by the board of governors of higher education