2015 -- S 0522

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LC001904

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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 COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - DISTRICT COURT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Archambault, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2015

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 8-8-8.1 and 8-8-16.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-8 entitled

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"District Court" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     8-8-8.1. Administrator/clerk -- Magistrate. -- (a) Administrator/clerk. - There shall be a

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district court administrator/clerk who shall be appointed by the chief judge in his or her capacity

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as administrative head of the court, and who shall hold office at the pleasure of the administrative

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judge. The administrator/clerk shall perform such duties and attend to such matters as may be

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assigned to the administrator/clerk by the administrative judge, other than those duties assigned to

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the chief clerk in section 8-8-19. Said duties may be assigned by the chief judge.

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      (b) Magistrate. - Any person holding the position of district court administrator/clerk

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who is a member of the bar of Rhode Island may be appointed district court magistrate by the

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chief judge in his or her capacity as administrative head of the court, subject to the advice and

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consent of the senate. The district court magistrate shall hold said office for a term of ten (10)

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years and until a successor is appointed and qualified; and the magistrate shall retain whatever

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right he or she may have to the position of district court administrator/clerk pursuant to this

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section. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the appointment of the magistrate for more

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than one term, subject to the advice and consent of the senate. Any person holding office of

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district court magistrate on July 1, 1999 may continue in full authority in said position until such

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time as an appointment is made and the nominee qualified pursuant to this subsection.

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      (c) The district court magistrate shall have the power to hear and determine such matters

 

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as may be assigned to the district court magistrate by the chief judge all to the same effect as if

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done by a judge of the district court, including but not limited to:

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      (1) Matters relating to the determination of, monitoring, collection, and payment of

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restitution and court ordered fines, fees, and costs or the ordering of community service in lieu of

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or in addition to the payment of restitution, fines, fees, and costs, consistent with other provisions

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of the general laws;

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      (2) Arraignments and pretrial motions in misdemeanor, petty misdemeanor, violation,

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and ordinance cases and initial appearances and probable cause hearings in felony cases;

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      (3) Bail hearings pursuant to R.I. Const., Art. I, Sec. IX and all other bail matters

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pursuant to chapter 13 of title 12 and the rules of criminal procedure, including but not limited to

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motions to modify bail, bail revocation hearings, bail forfeiture hearings, and bail source

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hearings;

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      (4) All matters relating to fugitives from justice pursuant to chapter 9 of title 12;

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      (5) Probation revocation hearings;

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      (6) All matters relating to small claims and consumer claims pursuant to chapter 16 of

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title 10, including any pretrial motions including motions relating to the special service of

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process, the entry of defaults and default judgments, the trial of such cases and the entry of

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judgment after such trials, and all matters relating to the enforcement of such judgments,

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including but not limited to the ordering of installment payments and trustee process; and

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      (7) Complaints for judicial review of the decision of an administrative agency pursuant

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to chapter 35 of title 42 by making proposed findings of fact and recommendations for the

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disposition of the complaints to a judge of the court. Any party may object to any portion of the

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magistrate's proposed findings and recommendations within ten (10) days after receipt of a copy

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thereof. That party shall file with the clerk of the sixth division of the district court and serve on

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all parties written objections which shall specifically identify the portions of the proposed

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findings and recommendations to which objection is made and the basis for the objection. A

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judge shall make a de novo determination of those portions to which objection is made and may

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accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendations made by the

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magistrate. Absent a timely objection filed in accordance with this subdivision, the proposed

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prevailing party shall, upon expiration of the ten (10) days following the service of the

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magistrate's proposed findings and recommendations, submit a proposed order for signature of

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the judge to whom the case has been assigned.

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      (d) The magistrate may be authorized:

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      (1) To regulate all proceedings before him or her;

 

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      (2) To do all acts necessary or proper for the efficient performance of his or her duties;

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      (3) To require the production before him or her of books, papers, vouchers, documents,

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and writings;

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      (4) To rule upon the admissibility of evidence;

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      (5) To issue subpoenas for the appearance of witnesses, to put witnesses on oath, to

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examine them, and to call parties to the proceeding and examine them upon oath;

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      (6) To adjudicate a person in contempt and to order him or her fined or to order him or

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her imprisoned for not more than seventy-two (72) hours, pending review by a judge of the court,

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for failure to appear in response to a summons or for refusal to answer questions or produce

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evidence or for behavior disrupting a proceeding or other contempt of his or her authority;

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      (7) To adjudicate a person in contempt and to order him or her fined or to order him or

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her imprisoned for not more than seventy-two (72) hours, pending review by a judge of the court,

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for failure to comply with a pending order to provide payment or to perform any other act;

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      (8) To issue a capias and/or body attachment for the failure of a party or witness to

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appear after having been properly served or given notice by the court and, should the court not be

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in session, the person apprehended may be detained at the adult correctional institution, if an

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adult, or at the Rhode Island training school for youth, if a child, until the next session of the

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court;

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      (9) To issue writs of habeas corpus to bring before him or her or a judge of the court any

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person in jail or in prison to be examined as a witness in a suit or proceeding, civil or criminal,

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pending before the court, or whose presence is necessary as a party or otherwise necessary so that

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the ends of justice may be attained, and for no other purpose; and

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      (10) To issue warrants of arrest and search warrants to the same extent as an associate

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judge of the court.

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      (e) Except as otherwise indicated, a party aggrieved by an order entered by the district

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court magistrate shall be entitled to a review of the order, whether by appeal or otherwise, by a

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judge of the court. The court shall, by rules of procedure, establish procedures for review of

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contempt and adjudications of the magistrate.

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      (f) The magistrate shall be:

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      (1) Governed by the commission on judicial tenure and discipline, chapter 16 of this

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title, in the same manner as justices and judges;

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      (2) Subject to all provisions of the canons of judicial ethics;

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      (3) Subject to all criminal laws relative to judges by virtue of §§ 11-7-1 and 11-7-2.

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      (g) Any district court magistrate who has been engaged for a period of twenty (20) years

 

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and has reached the age of sixty (60) years, may upon retirement, at his or her own request and at

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the direction of the chief justice of the supreme court, subject to the retiree's physical and mental

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competence, be assigned to perform such services as a magistrate of the district court as the chief

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judge of the district court shall prescribe. When so assigned and performing such service, the

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district court clerk/magistrate shall have all the powers and authority of a magistrate of the district

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court but otherwise shall have no powers and nor be authorized to perform any judicial duties.

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Such a retired district court magistrate shall not be counted in the number of magistrates provided

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by law for the district court.

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      (g)(h) The provisions of this section shall be afforded liberal construction.

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     8-8-16.2. District court clerk/magistrate. -- (a) Any person who is a member of the bar

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of Rhode Island may be appointed district court clerk/magistrate by the chief judge in his or her

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capacity as administrative head of the court, subject to the advice and consent of the senate. The

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district court clerk/magistrate shall hold that office for a term of ten (10) years and until a

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successor is appointed and qualified. Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit the assignment

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of the district court clerk/magistrate to more than one such term, subject to the advice and consent

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of the senate. The district court clerk/magistrate shall have the power to hear and determine any

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matters that may be assigned to the district court clerk/magistrate by the chief judge all to the

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same effect as if done by a judge of the district court, including, but not limited to, matters

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relating to the determination of, monitoring, collection and payment of restitution and court

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ordered fines, fees and costs or the ordering of community service in lieu of or in addition to the

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payment of restitution, fines, fees and costs, consistent with other provisions of the general laws.

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      (b) The clerk/magistrate may be authorized:

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      (1) To regulate all proceedings before him or her;

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      (2) To do all acts necessary or proper for the efficient performance of his or her duties;

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      (3) To require the production before him or her of books, papers, vouchers, documents

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and writings;

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      (4) To rule upon the admissibility of evidence;

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      (5) To issue subpoenas for the appearance of witnesses, to put witnesses on oath, to

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examine them and to call parties to the proceeding and examine them upon oath;

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      (6) To adjudicate a person in contempt and to order him or her fined or to order him or

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her imprisoned for not more than seventy-two (72) hours, for failure to appear in response to a

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summons or for refusal to answer questions or produce evidence or for behavior disrupting a

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proceeding or other contempt of his or her authority; provided; however, that no such

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imprisonment shall occur prior to review by a judge of the court.

 

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      (7) To adjudicate a person in contempt and to order him or her fined or to order him or

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her imprisoned for not more than seventy-two (72) hours, for failure to comply with a pending

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order to provide payment or to perform any other act; provided, however, that no such

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imprisonment shall occurr prior to review by a judge of the court.

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      (8) To issue a capias and/or body attachment for the failure of a party or witness to

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appear after having been properly served or given notice by the court and, should the court not be

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in session, the person apprehended may be detained at the adult correctional institutions, if an

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adult, or at the Rhode Island training school for youth, if a child, until the next session of the

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court;

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      (9) To issue writs of habeas corpus to bring before him or her or a judge of the court any

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person in jail or in prison to be examined as a witness in a suit or proceeding, civil or criminal,

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pending before the court, or whose presence is necessary as a party or otherwise necessary so that

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the ends of justice may be attained, and for no other purpose; and

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      (10) To issue warrants of arrest and search warrants to the same extent as an associate

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judge of the court.

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      (c) Except as otherwise indicated, a party aggrieved by an order entered by the district

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court clerk/magistrate shall be entitled to a review of the order, whether by appeal or otherwise,

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by a judge of the court. The court shall, by rules of procedure, establish procedures for review of

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contempt and adjudications of the clerk/magistrate.

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      (d) The district court clerk/magistrate shall:

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      (1) Be governed by the commission on judicial tenure and discipline, pursuant to chapter

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16 of this title, in the same manner as justices and judges;

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      (2) Be subject to all provisions of the canons of judicial ethics;

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      (3) Be subject to all criminal laws relative to judges by virtue of §§ 11-7-1 and 11-7-2.

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      (4) Receive any salary that may be established by the state court administrator pursuant

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to § 8-15-4. The provisions of this section shall be afforded liberal construction.

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      (e) Any district court clerk/magistrate who has been engaged for a period of twenty (20)

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years and has reached the age of sixty (60) years, may upon retirement, at his or her own request

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and at the direction of the chief justice of the supreme court, subject to the retiree's physical and

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mental competence, be assigned to perform such services as a magistrate of the district court as

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the chief judge of the district court shall prescribe. When so assigned and performing such

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service, the district court clerk/magistrate shall have all the powers and authority of a magistrate

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of the district court but otherwise shall have no powers and nor be authorized to perform any

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judicial duties. Such a retired district court clerk/magistrate shall not be counted in the number of

 

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magistrates provided by law for the district court.

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     SECTION 2. Section 36-10-36 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-10 entitled

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"Retirement System-Contributions and Benefits" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     36-10-36. Post retirement employment. -- (a) On and after July 7, 1994, no member

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who has retired under the provisions of titles 16, 36, or 45 may be employed or reemployed by

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any state agency or department unless any and all retirement benefits to which he or she may be

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entitled by virtue of the provisions of titles 16, 36, or 45 are suspended for the duration of any

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employment or reemployment. No additional service credits shall be granted for any post-

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retirement employment or reemployment and no deductions shall be taken from an individual's

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salary for retirement contribution. Notice of any such post-retirement employment or

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reemployment shall be sent monthly to the retirement board by the employing agency or

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department and by the retired member.

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      (b) Any member who has retired under the provisions of titles 16, 36, or 45 may be

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employed or reemployed by any municipality within the state that has accepted the provisions of

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chapter 21 of title 45 and participates in the municipal employees' retirement system for a period

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of not more than seventy-five (75) working days or one hundred fifty (150) half days with half-

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day pay in any one calendar year without any forfeiture or reduction of any retirement benefits

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and allowances the member is receiving, or may receive, as a retired member. Pension payments

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shall be suspended whenever this period is exceeded. No additional contributions shall be taken,

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and no additional service credits shall be granted, for this service. Notice of this employment or

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re-employment shall be sent monthly to the retirement board by the employer and by the retired

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member.

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      (c) Any member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 36, or 45 may be

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employed or re-employed by any municipality within the state that has not accepted the

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provisions of chapter 21 of title 45 and that does not participate in the municipal employees'

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retirement system.

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      (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section:

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      (1) Any retired member of the system shall be permitted to serve as an elected mayor,

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the town administrator, the city administrator, the town manager, the city manager, the chief

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administrative officer, or the chief executive officer of any city or town, city or town council

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member, school committee member, or unpaid member of any part-time state board or

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commission or member of any part-time municipal board or commission, and shall continue to be

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eligible for, and receive, the retirement allowance for service other than that as a mayor,

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administrator, council member, school committee member, or member of any state board or

 

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commission or member of any part-time municipal board or commission; provided, however, that

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no additional service credits shall be granted for any service under this subsection;

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      (2) Any retired member, who retired from service at any state college, university, state

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school, or who retired from service as a teacher under the provisions of title 16, or who retired

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from service under title 36 or title 45, may be employed or reemployed, on a part-time basis, by

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any state college, university, or state school for the purpose of providing classroom instruction,

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academic advising of students, and/or coaching. Compensation shall be provided at a level not to

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exceed the salary provided to other faculty members employed under a collective bargaining

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agreement at the institution. In no event shall "part-time" mean gross pay of more than fifteen

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thousand dollars ($15,000) in any one calendar year. Any retired member who provides such

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instruction or service shall do so without forfeiture or reduction of any retirement benefit or

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allowance; provided, however, that no additional service credits shall be granted for any service

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under this subsection;

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      (3) Any retired member who retired from service as a teacher under the provisions of

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title 16, or as a state employee who, while an active state employee, was certified to teach driver

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education by the department of elementary and secondary education or by the board of governors

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for higher education, may be employed or reemployed, on a part-time basis, by the department of

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elementary and secondary education or by the board of governors of higher education for the

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purpose of providing classroom instruction in driver education courses in accordance with § 31-

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10-19 and/or motorcycle driver education courses in accordance with § 31-10.1-1.1. In no event

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shall "part-time" mean gross pay of more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in any one

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calendar year. Any retired teacher who provides that instruction shall do so without forfeiture or

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reduction of any retirement benefit or allowance the retired teacher is receiving as a retired

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teacher; provided, however, that no additional service credits shall be granted for any service

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under this subsection;

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      (4) Any retired member who retired from service as a registered nurse may be employed

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or reemployed, on a per-diem basis, for the purpose of providing professional nursing care and/or

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services at a state-operated facility in Rhode Island. In no event shall "part-time" mean gross pay

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of more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in any one calendar year. Any retired nurse who

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provides such care and/or services shall do so without forfeiture or reduction of any retirement

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benefit or allowance the retired nurse is receiving as a retired nurse; provided, however, that no

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additional service credits shall be granted for any service under this subsection; and

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      (5) Any retired member who, at the time of passage of this section, serves as a general

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magistrate within the family court and thereafter retires from judicial service, may be employed

 

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or reemployed by the family court to perform such services as a general magistrate of the family

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court as the chief judge of the family court shall prescribe without any forfeiture or reduction of

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any retirement benefits and allowances that he or she is receiving or may receive. For any such

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services or assignments performed after retirement, the general magistrate shall receive no

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compensation whatsoever, either monetary or in kind. No additional contributions shall be taken

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and no additional service credits shall be granted for this service; and

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     (6) Any retired district court clerk/magistrate or magistrate of the district court who shall

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subsequently be assigned to perform service in accordance with §§ 8-8-8.1 or 8-8-16.2(e), may be

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employed or reemployed by the district court to perform such services as a magistrate as the chief

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judge of the district court shall prescribe without any forfeiture or reduction of any retirement

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benefits and allowance that he or she is receiving or may receive. For any such services or

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assignment performed after retirement, the district court clerk/magistrate or magistrate shall

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receive, in addition to his or her retirement pension, the difference in pay and fringe benefits

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between his or her retirement pension, and that of a sitting magistrate of the district court with

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comparable state service time. No additional contributions shall be taken and no additional

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service credits shall be granted for this service; and

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      (6)(7) Any retired member of the system shall be permitted to serve as a municipal

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employee without any forfeiture or reduction of any retirement benefits and allowances that he or

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she is receiving or may receive; provided, that said member shall be appointed by and serves at

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the pleasure of the highest elected chief executive officer, as defined in § 45-9-2, in any city or

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town subject to the provisions of chapter 9 of title 45 entitled "Budget Commissions" relating to

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the appointment of a fiscal overseer, budget commission, receiver, and/or financial advisor.

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Provided further, that no additional service credits shall be granted for any service under this

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subsection.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - DISTRICT COURT

***

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     This act would permit a retired district court clerk/magistrate or a magistrate of the

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district court who has reached age sixty (60) and has served for more than twenty (20) years to be

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recalled for service and to be compensated for such service.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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