AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT (Increases monthly minimum benefit for a spouse, domestic partner, former spouse.)

H7683

2026 -- H 7683
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LC004940
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

Introduced By:
Representatives McEntee, Serpa, O'Brien, Spears, Caldwell, Biah,
Donovan, Phillips, Messier, and Furtado

Date Introduced:
February 11, 2026

Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 16-16-26 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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16-16-26. Spouse’s, former spouse divorced, or domestic partner’s benefits.
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(a) Spouse’s, former spouse divorced, and domestic partner’s benefits are payable
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following the decease of a member as provided in §§ 16-16-25 — 16-16-38.
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(b) The spouse, former spouse divorced, or domestic partner shall be entitled to benefits
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upon attaining the age of sixty (60) years.
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(c) The spouse, former spouse divorced, or domestic partner was living with the deceased
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member at the time of the member’s death. A spouse, former spouse divorced, or domestic partner
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is deemed to have been living with the deceased member if they were both members of the same
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household on the date of the deceased member’s death, or the spouse, former spouse divorced, or
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domestic partner was receiving contributions from the deceased member toward support on that
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date, or the deceased member had been ordered by a court to contribute to the spouse’s, former
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spouse divorced, or domestic partner’s support.
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(d) Remarriage of the spouse, former spouse divorced, or domestic partner or establishment
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of a domestic partnership shall render the person ineligible to receive current or future benefits
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under this section.
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(e) The spouse or domestic partner of a member, as defined in this section, shall be entitled

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to monthly benefits payable in accordance with the following table:
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Spouse's or Domestic
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Highest Annual Partner's Monthly
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Salary Minimum Benefit
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$17,000 or less
$825

$1,025
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$17,001 to $25,000
$963

$1,200
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$25,001 to $33,000
$1,100

$1,375
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$33,001 to $40,000
$1,238

$1,550
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$40,001 and over
$1,375

$1,725
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(f) The former spouse divorced shall be entitled to monthly benefits, payable in accordance
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with the table provided in subsection (e) of this section, only if there are no dependent children,
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parents, or other spouse or domestic partner entitled to benefits.
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(g) A yearly
adjustment of the base benefit, and a yearly
cost-of-living adjustment for
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spouse’s, former spouse divorced, or domestic partner’s benefits shall be based on the annual social
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security adjustment.
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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 increase the monthly minimum death benefit for a spouse, domestic partner
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or former spouse.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC004940
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