2018 -- S 2366

========

LC004597

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- POST-RETIREMENT

EMPLOYMENT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Picard, Goldin, Crowley, and Gallo

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Finance

     (by request)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Section 36-10-36 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-10 entitled

2

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

3

     36-10-36. Post-retirement employment.

4

     (a) On and after July 7, 1994, no member who has retired under the provisions of titles

5

16, 36, or 45 may be employed or reemployed by any state agency or department unless any and

6

all retirement benefits to which he or she may be entitled by virtue of the provisions of titles 16,

7

36, or 45 are suspended for the duration of any employment or reemployment. No additional

8

service credits shall be granted for any post-retirement employment or reemployment and no

9

deductions shall be taken from an individual's salary for retirement contribution. Notice of any

10

such post-retirement employment or reemployment shall be sent monthly to the retirement board

11

by the employing agency or department and by the retired member.

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

 

1

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

2

reemployment shall be sent monthly to the retirement board by the employer and by the retired

3

member.

4

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

5

employed or reemployed by any municipality within the state that has not accepted the provisions

6

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

7

system.

8

     (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section:

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

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

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

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

24

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

25

thousand dollars ($18,000) twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in any one calendar year. Any

26

retired member who provides such instruction or service shall do so without forfeiture or

27

reduction of any retirement benefit or allowance; provided, however, that no additional service

28

credits shall be granted for any service under this subsection;

29

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

30

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

31

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

32

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

33

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

34

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

 

LC004597 - Page 2 of 5

1

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

2

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

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

under this subsection;

7

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

8

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

9

services at a state-operated facility in Rhode Island, including employment as a faculty member

10

of a nursing program at a state-operated college or university. In no event shall "part-time" mean

11

gross pay of more than a period of seventy-five (75) working days or one hundred fifty (150) half

12

days with half pay in any one calendar year. Any retired nurse who provides such care and/or

13

services shall do so without forfeiture or reduction of any retirement benefit or allowance the

14

retired nurse is receiving as a retired nurse; provided, however, that no additional service credits

15

shall be granted for any service under this subsection. Pension payments shall be suspended

16

whenever this period is exceeded. No additional contributions shall be taken and no additional

17

service credits shall be granted for this service. Notice of this employment or reemployment shall

18

be sent monthly to the retirement board by the employer and by the retired member;

19

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

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

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

24

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

25

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

26

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

27

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

28

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

29

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

30

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

31

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

32

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

33

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

34

subsection.

 

LC004597 - Page 3 of 5

1

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC004597

========

 

LC004597 - Page 4 of 5

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- POST-RETIREMENT

EMPLOYMENT

***

1

     This act would increase the amount from eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000) to twenty-

2

five thousand dollars ($25,000) that retired state educators could earn in yearly compensation in

3

their post-retirement, before their retirement benefits would be reduced.

4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC004597

========

 

LC004597 - Page 5 of 5