Chapter 412
2017 -- S 0571 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 10/05/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT BENEFITS

Introduced By: Senator Daniel DaPonte
Date Introduced: March 15, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 16-16-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-16 entitled "Teachers'
Retirement [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby
amended to read as follows:
     16-16-26. Spouse's or domestic partner's benefits. -- (a) Spouse's and domestic
partner's benefits are payable following the decease of a member as provided in §§ 16-16-25
through-16-16-38. (b) The spouse or domestic partner shall be entitled to benefits upon attaining
the age of sixty (60) years. (c) The spouse or domestic partner was living with the deceased
member at the time of the member's death. A spouse or domestic partner is deemed to have been
living with the deceased member if they were both members of the same household on the date of
the deceased member's death, or the spouse or domestic partner was receiving regular
contributions from the deceased member toward support on that date, or the deceased member
had been ordered by a court to contribute to the spouse's or domestic partner's support. (d)
Remarriage of the spouse or domestic partner or establishment of a domestic partnership shall
render him or her ineligible to receive current or future benefits under this section. (e) The
spouse or domestic partner of a member, as defined in this section, shall be entitled to monthly
benefits payable in accordance with the following table:
Highest Annual Salary Spouse's or Domestic Partner's Monthly Minimum Benefit
$17,000 or less $750 825
$17,001 to $25,000 $875 963
$25,001 to $33,000 1,000 $1,100
$33,001 to $40,000 1,125$1,238
$40,001 and over 1,250 $1,375
     (f) A yearly cost-of-living adjustment for spouse's or domestic partner's benefits shall be
based on the annual social security adjustment.
     SECTION 2. Section 16-16-35 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-16 entitled "Teachers'
Retirement [See Title 16 Chapter 97 - The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]" is hereby
amended to read as follows:
     16-16-35. Contributions.
     (a) The cost of the benefits provided in §§ 16-16-25 -- 16-16-38 shall be two percent
(2%) of the member's annual salary up to but not exceeding an annual salary of ninety-six
hundred dollars ($9,600) eleven thousand five hundred dollars ($11,500); one-half (1/2) of the
cost shall be contributed by the member by deductions from his or her salary, and the other half
(1/2) shall be contributed and paid by the respective city, town, or school district by which the
member is employed. These contributions shall be in addition to the contributions provided in §
16-16-22 and shall be paid into the teachers' survivors benefit fund created by §§ 16-16-25 -- 16-
16-38 in the same manner as contributions are made under the provisions of § 16-16-22.
     (b) In the event the market value of the Tteachers' Ssurvivor Bbenefit Pplan assets shall
decrease below one hundred and twenty (120%) one hundred (100%) percent of the Tteachers'
Ssurvivor Bbenefit Pplan liabilities as reported by a qualified actuary pursuant to § 16-16-37, the
retirement board shall determine and fix the amount of contributions necessary to maintain a
funding level of not less than one hundred and twenty (120%) one hundred (100%) percent of
assets to liabilities ratio. Any adjusted cost of the benefits provided in §§ 16-16-25 -- 16-16-38
shall be paid for by the member by deduction from his or her salary. These contributions shall be
in addition to the contributions provided in § 16-16-22 and shall be paid into the teachers'
survivors benefit fund created by §§ 16-16-25 -- 16-16-38 in the same manner as contributions
are made under the provisions of § 16-16-22; provided, however, that payments to compensate
for asset-to-liability ratios less than one hundred (100%) percent shall be amortized over
individual ten-(10) year (10) close periods. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
chapter or in any other provision of Rhode Island law, no benefit enhancements, beyond the
current provisions within §§16-16-25 through 16-16-38, shall be granted until the market value of
the Tteachers' Ssurvivor Bbenefit Pplan assets shall increase above one hundred and twenty
(120%) percent of the Tteachers' Ssurvivor Bbenefit Pplan liabilities as reported by a qualified
actuary pursuant to §16-16-37.
     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC002027/SUB A
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