2017 -- S 0571

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT BENEFITS

     

     Introduced By: Senator Daniel DaPonte

     Date Introduced: March 15, 2017

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-16-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-16 entitled "Teachers'

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Retirement [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby

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amended to read as follows:

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     16-16-26. Spouse's or domestic partner's benefits. -- (a) Spouse's and domestic

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partner's benefits are payable following the decease of a member as provided in ยงยง 16-16-25

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through 16-16-38. (b) The spouse or domestic partner shall be entitled to benefits upon attaining

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the age of sixty (60) years. (c) The spouse or domestic partner was living with the deceased

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member at the time of the member's death. A spouse or domestic partner is deemed to have been

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living with the deceased member if they were both members of the same household on the date of

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the deceased member's death, or the spouse or domestic partner was receiving regular

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contributions from the deceased member toward support on that date, or the deceased member

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had been ordered by a court to contribute to the spouse's or domestic partner's support. (d)

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Remarriage of the spouse or domestic partner or establishment of a domestic partnership shall

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render him or her ineligible to receive current or future benefits under this section. (e) The

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spouse or domestic partner of a member, as defined in this section, shall be entitled to monthly

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benefits payable in accordance with the following table:

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Highest Annual Salary Spouse's or Domestic Partner's Monthly Minimum Benefit

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$17,000 33,000 or less $750 1,267

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$17,001 33,001 to $25,000 40,000 875 $1,425

 

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$25,001 40,001 to $33,000 50,000 1,000 $1,583

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$33,001 to $40,000 1,125

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$40,001 50,001 and over 1,250 $1,900

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     (f) A yearly cost-of-living adjustment for spouse's or domestic partner's benefits shall be

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based on the annual social security adjustment. On January 1 of each year, the minimum benefit

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amount provided by this section shall be annually adjusted for cost-of-living using the previous

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year's social security adjustment.

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     (g) Adjustments to minimum benefits provided under subsection (f) of this section shall

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not be compounded.

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     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 EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT BENEFITS

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     This act would increase the monthly minimum benefits of spouses and domestic partners

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of retired teachers, and would authorize additional yearly non-compounded adjustments.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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