Chapter 207

2012 -- S 2941

Enacted 06/12/12

 

A N A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - COURTS

          

     Introduced By: Senator Michael J. McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: May 03, 2012

   

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

 

     SECTION 1. Section 8-10-3.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-10 entitled "Family

Court" is hereby amended to read as follows:

 

     8-10-3.2. General magistrate of the family court. -- (a) There is hereby created within

the family court the position of general magistrate of the family court who shall be appointed by

the chief judge of the family court with the advice and consent of the senate for a term of ten (10)

years and until a successor is appointed and qualified. Nothing herein shall be construed to

prohibit the assignment of the general magistrate to more than one such term, subject to the

advice and consent of the senate.

      (b) The general magistrate shall be an attorney at law and a member in good standing of

the Rhode Island bar.

      (c) The primary function of the general magistrate shall be the enforcement of child

support decrees, orders, and law relative to child support. The general magistrate shall have all

the authority and powers vested in magistrates by virtue of sections 8-10-3, 8-10-3.1, 9-15-19, 9-

15-21, 9-14-26, 9-18-8, 9-18-9, and 36-2-3, and any other authority conferred upon magistrates

by any general or public law or by any rule of procedure or practice of any court within the state.

      (d) The chief justice of the supreme court with the agreement of the chief judge of the

family court may specially assign the general magistrate to any court of the unified judicial

system; provided, however, that the general magistrate may be assigned to the superior court

subject to the prior approval of the presiding justice of the superior court. When the general

magistrate is so assigned he or she shall be vested, authorized, and empowered with all the

powers belonging to the magistrates of the court to which he or she is specially assigned.

      (e) The general magistrate shall:

      (1) Receive all credits and retirement allowances as afforded justices under chapter 3 of

this title and any other applicable law;

      (2) Be governed by the commission on judicial tenure and discipline, chapter 16 of this

title, in the same manner as justices and workers' compensation judges;

      (3) Be entitled to a special license plate under section 31-3-47;

      (4) Receive a salary equivalent to that of a district court judge;

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

      (6) Be subject to all criminal laws relative to judges by virtue of sections 11-7-1 and 11-

7-2.

      (f) The general magistrate of the family court who shall at the time of passage of this

section hold the position of general magistrate, shall upon retirement, at his or her own request

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

mental competence, be assigned to perform such services as general magistrate of the family

court, as the chief judge of the family court shall prescribe. When so assigned and performing

such service, the general magistrate shall have all the powers and authority of general magistrate

of the family court, but otherwise shall have no powers nor be authorized to perform any judicial

duties. For any such service or assignments performed after retirement, the general magistrate

shall receive no compensation whatsoever, either monetary or in kind. Such a retired general

magistrate shall not be counted in the number of judicial officers provided by law for the family

court.

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

 

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

department and by the retired member.

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

employed or reemployed by any municipality within the state, which municipality has accepted

the provisions of chapter 21 of title 45 and which participates in the municipal employees'

retirement system for a period of not more than seventy-five (75) working days or one hundred

fifty (150) half days with half day pay in any one calendar year without any forfeiture of or

reduction of any retirement benefits and allowances the member is receiving or may receive as a

retired member. Pension payments shall be suspended whenever this period is exceeded. No

additional contributions shall be taken and no additional service credits shall be granted for this

service. Notice of this employment or re-employment shall be sent monthly to the retirement

board by the employer and by the retired member.

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

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

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

retirement system.

      (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

service under this subsection;

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

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

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

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

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

purpose of providing classroom instruction in driver education courses in accordance with section

31-10-19 and/or motorcycle driver education courses in accordance with section 31-10.1-1.1. In

no event shall "part-time" mean gross pay of more than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in any

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

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

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

under this subsection; and

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

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

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

of more than twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) in any one calendar year. Any retired nurse who

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

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

additional service credits shall be granted for any service under this subsection.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC02572

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