2023 -- H 5040 AS AMENDED

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LC000448

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

     

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Biah, Slater, Serpa, Carson, Corvese, Azzinaro,

     Date Introduced: January 11, 2023

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 16-16-24 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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     16-16-24. Substitute teaching and employment after retirement.

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     (a) Any teacher or athletic coach certified pursuant to chapter 11.1 of this title, who has

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retired under the provisions of any law of this state, may substitute as a teacher at state schools and

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in the public schools of this state for a period of no more than ninety (90) days in any one school

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year without any forfeiture of, or reduction in, the retirement benefits and allowances the teacher

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is receiving, or may receive, as a retired teacher. Provided, that commencing on (effective date of

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act) and up to and including June 30, 2025, this period shall be extended to a period of no more

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than one hundred twenty (120) days in any one school year. Notice of the employment shall be

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sent monthly to the state retirement board by the school committee employing the teacher and by

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the employer and by the retired teacher at the end of each teaching assignment.

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     (b) Any teacher or athletic coach certified pursuant to chapter 11.1 of this title, who has

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retired under the provisions of any law of this state, may be employed to fill a vacant position

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(including, but not limited to, employment as a tutor, mentor principal, or mentor assistant

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principal) by any state school or public school of this state for a period of no more than ninety (90)

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days in any one school year without any forfeiture of, or reduction in, the retirement benefits and

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allowances he or she is receiving, or may receive, as a retiree. Provided, that commencing on

 

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(effective date of act) and up to and including June 30, 2025, this period shall be extended to a

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period of no more than one hundred twenty (120) days in any one school year. Notice of the

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

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teacher. Provided, however, that no employment may be offered to a retiree subject to this section

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after July 1, 2002, unless the employer has made a good-faith effort each school year to fill the

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position with a nonretired employee without success, and certifies, in writing, that it has done so to

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the employees’ retirement system and to the bargaining agents of all education unions with whom

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the employer has collective-bargaining agreements.

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     (c) Any retired teacher or athletic coach may be employed pursuant to subsections (a) and

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(b), but in no event shall employment exceed ninety (90) days. Provided, that commencing on

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(effective date of act) and up to and including June 30, 2025, this period shall be extended to a

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period of no more than one hundred twenty (120) days in any one school year.

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     (d) The calculation of the ninety-day (90) or one hundred twenty-day (120) period in any

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one school year shall be determined by either of the following methods:

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     (1) Three (3) hours shall constitute a half day and the number of half days shall be limited

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to one hundred eighty (180) half days, which shall be the equivalent of ninety (90) full days; but in

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no case shall the total number of half and full days exceed one hundred twenty (120) days; or

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     (2) Each period per day shall constitute one-fifth (⅕) of a teaching day. Any teacher hired

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to teach two (2) periods per day shall be deemed to have worked seventy-two (72) full days per

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year. The computation is two-fifths times one hundred eighty (⅖ x 180) school days per year, which

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shall be equivalent to seventy-two (72) full days per year.

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     (e) Any retired member of the employees retirement system of Rhode Island under title 36

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or 45, who is certified as a substitute teacher, may substitute as a teacher at state schools and in the

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public schools of this state for a period of no more than ninety (90) days in any one school year

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without any forfeiture of, or reduction in, the retirement benefits and allowances the substitute

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teacher is receiving, or may receive, as a retiree under any title. Provided, that commencing on

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(effective date of act) and up to and including June 30, 2025, this period shall be extended to a

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period of no more than one hundred twenty (120) days in any one school year. The other provisions

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of subsections (b) through (d) shall also be deemed to apply.

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     (f) The one hundred twenty (120) day period provided by this section shall cease and return

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to a ninety (90) day period after June 30, 2025.

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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

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     This act would permit retired teachers to substitute teach in a school for up to one hundred

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twenty (120) days in a school year, without any loss, forfeiture, or reduction in retirement benefits.

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This extended time period would be from the effective date of passage of this act until June 30,

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2025.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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