2023 -- H 5564

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LC001125

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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 COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - PROCEDURE GENERALLY --

CAUSES OF ACTION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Craven, O'Brien, and Dawson

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 9-1-31 of the General Laws in Chapter 9-1 entitled "Causes of

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Action" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     9-1-31. Public school teachers, supervisors, and administrators — Immunity from

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liability — Compensation for certain injuries — Duty upon school committees and board of

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regents. Public school teachers, supervisors, employees whose position directly involves work

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with students and administrators — Immunity from liability — Compensation for certain

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injuries — Duty upon school committees and board of regents.

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     (a) Each school committee and the board of regents shall protect and save harmless

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     (1) any public school teacher

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     (2) any supervisor, administrator, or licensed professional employee

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     (3) any employee whose position requires a certificate from the department of education

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or board of regents for elementary and secondary education

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     (4) any employee whose position directly involves work with students

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     (5) any employee of the board of regents

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     from financial loss and expense, including legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of any

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claim, demand, or suit for actions resulting in accidental bodily injury to or death of any person, or

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in accidental damage to or destruction of property, within or without the school building, or any

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other acts, including but not limited to infringement of any person’s civil rights, resulting in any

 

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injury, which acts are not wanton, reckless, malicious, or grossly negligent, as determined by a

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court of competent jurisdiction, provided the teacher, supervisor, or administrator, at the time of

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the acts resulting in the injury, death, damages, or destruction, was acting in the discharge of his or

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her duties or within the scope of his or her employment or under the direction of the school

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committee or the board of regents.

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     (b) For the purpose of this section, the term “teacher” shall include any student teacher

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doing practice teaching under the direction of a teacher employed by a school committee or the

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board of regents.

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     (c) Each school committee and the board of regents shall protect and save harmless any

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teacher or any, supervisor, employee whose position directly involves work with students or

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administrator from financial loss and expense, including payment of expenses reasonably incurred

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for medical or other service, necessary as a result of an assault upon the teacher, supervisor, or

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administrator while the person was acting in the discharge of his or her duties within the scope of

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his or her employment or under the direction of the school committee or the board of regents, which

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expenses are not paid by the individual teacher’s, supervisor’s, or administrator’s workers’

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compensation.

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     (d) Any teacher, supervisor, employee whose position directly involves work with students

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or administrator absent from his or her employment as a result of injury sustained during an assault

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upon the teacher, supervisor, employee whose position directly involves work with students or

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administrator that occurred while the teacher, supervisor, employee whose position directly

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involves work with students or administrator was discharging his or her duties within the scope of

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his or her employment or under the direction of the school committee or the board of regents, or

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for a court appearance in connection with the assault, shall continue to receive his or her full salary,

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while so absent, except that the amount of any workers’ compensation award may be deducted

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from his or her salary payments during the absence. The time of the absence shall not be charged

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against the teacher’s, supervisor’s, employee whose position directly involves work with students

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or administrator’s sick leave, vacation time, or personal leave days.

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     (e) A person so injured in accordance with subdivision (d) above and who receives a

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disability therefrom, which renders them unable to fully perform their normal duties, shall, if the

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disability continues for a period of one year, apply to the Rhode Island employees retirement system

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for appropriate benefits for which that person is entitled.

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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 COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - PROCEDURE GENERALLY --

CAUSES OF ACTION

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     This act would add immunity from liability and provide compensation for certain injuries

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for employees whose position within school directly involves work with students.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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