2015 -- H 6122

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LC002503

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - STATE POLICE

     Introduced By: Representative John M. Carnevale

     Date Introduced: April 29, 2015

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 42-28-22 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-28 entitled "State

Police" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-28-22. Retirement of members. -- (a) Whenever any member of the state police

hired prior to July 1, 2007 has served for twenty (20) years, he or she may retire therefrom or he

or she may be retired by the superintendent with the approval of the governor, and in either event

a sum equal to one-half (1/2) of the whole salary for the position from which he or she retired

determined on the date he or she receives his or her first retirement payment shall be paid him or

her during life.

      (b) For purposes of this section, the term "whole salary" means:

      (1) For each member who retired prior to July 1, 1966, "whole salary" means the base

salary for the position from which he or she retired as the base salary for that position was

determined on July 31, 1972;

      (2) For each member who retired between July 1, 1966 and June 30, 1973, "whole

salary" means the base salary for the position from which he or she retired as the base salary,

implemented by the longevity increment, for that position was determined on July 31, 1972 or on

the date of his or her retirement, whichever is greater;

      (3) For each member who retired or who retires after July 1, 1973 "whole salary" means

the base salary, implemented by the longevity increment, holiday pay, and clothing allowance, for

the position from which he or she retired or retires.

      (c) (1) Any member who retired prior to July 1, 1977 shall receive a benefits payment

adjustment equal to three percent (3%) of his or her original retirement, as determined in

subsection (b) of this section, in addition to his or her original retirement allowance. In each

succeeding year thereafter during the month of January, the retirement allowance shall be

increased an additional three percent (3%) of the original retirement allowance, not compounded,

to be continued until January 1, 1991. For the purposes of the computation, credit shall be given

for a full calendar year regardless of the effective date of the service retirement allowance. For

purposes of this subsection, the benefits payment adjustment shall be computed from January 1,

1971 or the date of retirement, whichever is later in time.

      (2) Any member of the state police who retires pursuant to the provisions of this chapter

on or after January 1, 1977, shall on the first day of January, next following the third anniversary

date of the retirement receive a benefits payment adjustment, in addition to his or her retirement

allowance, in an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the original retirement allowance. In each

succeeding year thereafter during the month of January, the retirement allowance shall be

increased an additional three percent (3%) of the original retirement allowance, not compounded,

to be continued until January 1, 1991. For the purposes of the computation, credit shall be given

for a full calendar year regardless of the effective date of the service retirement allowance.

      (3) Any retired member of the state police who is receiving a benefit payment

adjustment pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section shall beginning January 1, 1991

and ending June 30, 2012, receive a benefits payment adjustment equal to fifteen hundred dollars

($1,500).

      (d) The benefits payment adjustment as provided in this section shall apply to and be in

addition to the retirement benefits under the provisions of § 42-28-5, and to the injury and death

benefits under the provisions of § 42-28-21.

      (e) (1) Any member who retires after July 1, 1972 and is eligible to retire prior to July 1,

2012 and who has served beyond twenty (20) years shall be allowed an additional amount equal

to three percent (3%) for each completed year served after twenty (20) years, but in no event shall

the original retirement allowance exceed sixty-five percent (65%) of his or her whole salary as

defined in subsection (b) hereof or sixty-five percent (65%) of his or her salary as defined in

subsection (b) hereof in his or her twenty-fifth (25th) year whichever is less.

      (2) Each member who retired prior to July 1, 1975, shall be entitled to all retirement

benefits as set forth above or shall be paid benefits as set forth in subdivision (b)(1) with "whole

salary" meaning the base salary for the position from which he or she retired as the base salary for

the position was determined on July 1, 1975, whichever is greater.

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      (f) (1) Any member who retires, has served as a member for twenty (20) years or more,

and who served for a period of six (6) months or more of active duty in the armed service of the

United States or in the merchant marine service of the United States as defined in § 2 of chapter

1721 of the Public Laws, 1946, may purchase credit for such service up to a maximum of two (2)

years; provided that any member who has served at least six (6) months or more in any one year

shall be allowed to purchase one year for such service and any member who has served a fraction

of less than six (6) months in his or her total service shall be allowed to purchase six (6) months'

credit for such service.

      (2) The cost to purchase these credits shall be ten percent (10%) of the member's first

year salary as a state policeman multiplied by the number of years and/or fraction thereof of such

armed service up to a maximum of two (2) years. The purchase price shall be paid into the

general fund. For members hired on or after July 1, 1989, the purchase price shall be paid into a

restricted revenue account entitled "state police retirement benefits" and shall be held in trust.

      (3) There will be no interest charge provided the member makes such purchase during

his or her twentieth (20th) year or within five (5) years from May 18, 1981, whichever is later,

but will be charged regular rate of interest as defined in § 36-8-1 as amended to date of purchase

from the date of his or her twentieth (20th) year of state service or five (5) years from May 18,

1981, whichever is later.

      (4) Any member who is granted a leave of absence without pay for illness, injury or any

other reason may receive credit therefor by making the full actuarial cost as defined in

subdivision 36-8-1(10); provided the employee returns to state service for at least one year upon

completion of the leave.

      (5) In no event shall the original retirement allowance exceed sixty-five percent (65%) of

his or her whole salary as defined in subsection (b) hereof or sixty-five percent (65%) of his or

her salary as defined in subsection (b) hereof in his or her twenty-fifth (25th) year, whichever is

less.

      (6) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no more than five (5) years of service

credit may be purchased by a member of the system. The five (5) year limit shall not apply to any

purchases made prior to January 1, 1995. A member who has purchased more than five (5) years

of service credits before January 1, 1995, shall be permitted to apply those purchases towards the

member's service retirement. However, no further purchase will be permitted. Repayment in

accordance with applicable law and regulation of any contribution previously withdrawn from the

system shall not be deemed a purchase of service credit.

      (g) The provisions of this section shall not apply to civilian employees in the Rhode

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Island state police; and, further, from and after April 28, 1937, chapters 8 -- 10, inclusive, of title

36 shall not be construed to apply to the members of the Rhode Island state police, except as

provided by §§ 36-8-3, 36-10-1.1, 42-28-22.1, and 42-28-22.2, and section 36-8-1(5) and (8)(a)

effective July 1, 2012.

      (h) Any member of the state police other than the superintendent of state police, who is

hired prior to July 1, 2007 and who has served for twenty-five (25) years or who has attained the

age of sixty-two (62) years, whichever shall first occur, shall retire therefrom.

      (i) (1) Any member of the state police, other than the superintendent, who is hired on or

after July 1, 2007 and who has served for twenty-five (25) years, may retire therefrom or he or

she may be retired by the superintendent with the approval of the governor, and shall be entitled

to a retirement allowance of fifty percent (50%) of his or her "whole salary" as defined in

subsection (b) hereof.

      (2) Any member of the state police who is hired on or after July 1, 2007 may serve up to

a maximum of thirty (30) years, and shall be allowed an additional amount equal to three percent

(3.0%) for each completed year served after twenty-five (25) years, but in no event shall the

original retirement allowance exceed sixty-five percent (65%) of his or her "whole salary" as

defined in subsection (b) hereof.

      (j) Effective July 1, 2012, any other provision of this section notwithstanding:

      (j) (1) Any member of the state police, other than the superintendent of state police, who

is not eligible to retire on or prior to June 30, 2012 may retire at any time subsequent to the date

the member's retirement allowance equals or exceeds fifty percent (50%) of average

compensation as defined in section 36-8-1(5)(a), provided that a member shall retire upon the

first to occur of:

      (i) The date the member's retirement allowance equals sixty-five percent (65%); or

      (ii) The later of the attainment of age sixty-two (62) or completion of five (5) years of

service; provided however, any current member as of June 30, 2012 who has not accrued fifty

percent (50%) upon attaining the age of sixty-two (62) shall retire upon accruing fifty percent

(50%); and upon retirement a member shall receive a retirement allowance which shall equal:

      (A) For members hired prior to July 1, 2007 the sum of (i), (ii) and (iii) where

      (i) Is calculated as the member's years of total service before July 1, 2012 multiplied by

two and one half percent (2.5%) of average compensation for a member's first twenty (20) total

years,

      (ii) Is calculated as the member's years of total service before July 1, 2012 in excess of

twenty (20) years not to exceed twenty-five (25) years multiplied by three percent (3%) of

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average compensation, and

      (iii) Is the member's years of total service on or after July 1, 2012 multiplied by two

percent (2%) of average compensation as defined in § 36-8-1(5)(a).

      (B) For members hired on or after July 1, 2007, the member's retirement allowance shall

be calculated as the member's years of total contributory service multiplied by two percent (2%)

of average compensation.

      (C) Any member of the state police who is eligible to retire on or prior to June 30, 2012

shall retire with a retirement allowance calculated in accordance with paragraph (a) and (e) above

except that whole salary shall be defined as final compensation where compensation for purposes

of this section and § 42-28-22.1 includes base salary, longevity and holiday pay.

      (D) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions, in no event shall a member's final

compensation be lower than his or her final compensation determined as of June 30, 2012.

      (2) In no event shall a member's original retirement allowance under any provisions of

this section exceed sixty-five percent (65%) of his or her average compensation.

      (3) For each member who retires on or after July 1, 2012, except as provided in

paragraph (j)(1)(C) above, compensation and average compensation shall be defined in

accordance with § 36-8-1(5)(a) and (8), provided that for a member whose regular work period

exceeds one hundred forty-seven (147) hours over a twenty-four (24) day period at any time

during the four (4) year period immediately prior to his/her retirement that member shall have up

to four hundred (400) hours of his/her pay for regularly scheduled work earned during this period

shall be included as "compensation" and/or "average compensation" for purposes of this section

and § 42-28-22.1.

      (4) (i) Notwithstanding the prior paragraphs of this section, and subject to paragraph

(4)(ii) below, for all present and former members, active and retired members, and beneficiaries

receiving any retirement, disability or death allowance or benefit of any kind, whether for or on

behalf of a non-contributory member or contributory member, the annual benefit adjustment

provided in any calendar year under this section shall be equal to (A) multiplied by (B) where (A)

is equal to the percentage determined by subtracting five and one-half percent (5.5%) (the

"subtrahend") from the Five-Year Average Investment Return of the retirement system

determined as of the last day of the plan year preceding the calendar year in which the adjustment

is granted, said percentage not to exceed four percent (4%) and not to be less than zero percent

(0%), and (B) is equal to the lesser of the member's retirement allowance or the first twenty-five

thousand dollars ($25,000) of retirement allowance, such twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000)

amount to be indexed annually in the same percentage as determined under (4)(i)(A) above. The

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"Five-Year Average Investment Return" shall mean the average of the investment returns for the

most recent five (5) plan years as determined by the retirement board. Subject to paragraph (4)(ii)

below, the benefit adjustment provided by this paragraph shall commence upon the third (3rd)

anniversary of the date of retirement or the date on which the retiree reaches age fifty-five (55),

whichever is later. In the event the retirement board adjusts the actuarially assumed rate of return

for the system, either upward or downward, the subtrahend shall be adjusted either upward or

downward in the same amount.

      (ii) Except as provided in paragraph (4)(iii), the benefit adjustments under this section

for any plan year shall be suspended in their entirety unless the GASB Funded Ratio of the

Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island, the Judicial Retirement Benefits Trust and the

State Police Retirement Benefits Trust, calculated by the system's actuary on an aggregate basis,

exceeds eighty percent (80%) in which event the benefit adjustment will be reinstated for all

members for such plan year.

      In determining whether a funding level under this paragraph (4)(ii) has been achieved,

the actuary shall calculate the funding percentage after taking into account the reinstatement of

any current or future benefit adjustment provided under this section. "GASB Funded Ratio" shall

mean the ratio of the actuarial value of assets to the actuarial accrued liability.

      (iii) Notwithstanding paragraph (4)(ii), in each fifth plan year commencing after June 30,

2012 commencing with the plan year ending June 30, 2017, and subsequently at intervals of five

(5) plan years, a benefit adjustment shall be calculated and made in accordance with paragraph

(4)(i) above until the GASB Funded Ratio of the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island,

the Judicial Retirement Benefits Trust and the State Police Retirement Benefits Trust, calculated

by the system's actuary on an aggregate basis, exceeds eighty percent (80%).

      (iv) The provisions of this paragraph (j)(4) of § 42-28-22 shall become effective July 1,

2012 and shall apply to any benefit adjustment not granted on or prior to June 30, 2012.

      (v) The cost-of-living adjustment as provided in this paragraph (j)(4) shall apply to and

be in addition to the retirement benefits under the provisions of § 42-28-5 and to the injury and

death benefits under the provisions of § 42-28-21.

      (5) Any member with contributory service on or after July 1, 2012, who has completed at

least five (5) years of contributory service but who has not retired in accordance with (j)(1)

above, shall be eligible to retire upon the attainment of member's Security retirement age as

defined in 36-8-1(19).

      (6) In no event shall a member's retirement allowance be less than the member's

retirement allowance calculated as of June 30, 2012 based on the member's years of total service

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and whole salary as of June 30, 2012.

      (k) In calculating the retirement benefit for any member, the term base salary as used in

subdivision (b)(3) or average compensation as used in paragraph (j) shall not be affected by a

deferral of salary plan or a reduced salary plan implemented to avoid shutdowns or layoffs or to

effect cost savings. Basic salary shall remain for retirement calculation that which it would have

been but for the salary deferral or salary reduction due to a plan implemented to avoid shutdowns

or layoffs or to effect cost savings.

     (l) Notwithstanding any general or public law, rule, or regulation to the contrary,

effective July 1, 2015, the state fire marshal, chief deputy state fire marshals, the director of the

Rhode Island fire academy, and deputy state fire marshals shall be considered members for

purposes of this chapter and shall have retirement benefits equal to the state police as specified by

this chapter.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - STATE POLICE

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     This act would provide that the state fire marshal, chief deputy state fire marshals, the

director of the Rhode Island fire academy, and deputy state fire marshals be considered members

of the Rhode Island state police for purposes of retirement benefits under this chapter.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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