AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS RETIREMENT (Gives teachers who takes an unpaid parental or medical leave during the year credit for a year of service for that school year if they served a minimum of 135 days.)

S2537

2026 -- S 2537
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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:
Senators Gallo, Tikoian, Ciccone, DiPalma, Burke, and LaMountain

Date Introduced:
February 13, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 16-16-5 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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16-16-5. Service creditable.
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(a) In calculating “service”, “prior service”, or “total service” as defined in § 16-16-1, every
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teacher shall be given credit for a year of service for each year in which he or she shall have served
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as a teacher; provided, that any teacher who through illness or leave of absence without pay does
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not serve a full school year may receive credit for a full school year of service by paying the full
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actuarial cost as defined in § 36-8-1(9). Credit for leaves of absence shall be limited, in the
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aggregate, during the total service of a teacher to a period of four (4) years; provided, however,
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every teacher who had been required to resign for maternity reasons may receive credit for
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maternity reasons by making contribution to the system upon her return to teaching the amount she
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would have contributed to the retirement system, with regular interest, based upon her expected
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compensation but for her absence due to maternity reasons.
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(b) The retirement board shall fix and determine the time when and the conditions under
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which the payments shall be made.
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(c) Any teacher who serves or who has served during a school year the number of days that
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the public schools are required by law to be in session during the year shall be given credit for a
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year of service for that year.
A teacher who takes an unpaid parental or medical leave during the

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year shall be given credit for a year of service for that school year, provided they serve at least one-
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hundred thirty-five (135) school days.
In determining the number of days served by a substitute
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teacher the total number of days served in any public school of any city or town in the state may be
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combined for any one school year. Any teacher shall be entitled to “prior service” credit for service
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prior to July 1, 1949, provided the teacher shall have been in service during the school year 1949-
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1950. The teacher shall be entitled to service credit for any year subsequent to July 1, 1949 in
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accordance with this chapter, by making contribution to the retirement system of the full actuarial
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cost for any such service credit.
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(d) Any teacher employed in at least a half (½) program including a job share program, or
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working at least half the number of days that the public schools are required to be in session, shall
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remain a contributing member and shall receive credit for that part-time service on a proportional
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basis. The purchase of any remaining program or job share time in which the teacher did not work
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shall not be permitted.
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(e) In computing service or in computing compensation, the retirement board shall credit
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no more than one year of service on account of all service in one calendar year.
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(f) Notwithstanding any other section of law, no member of the retirement system shall be
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permitted to purchase service credit for any portion of a year for which he or she is already receiving
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service credit in this retirement system.
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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 amend the current law on teacher’s creditable service so that a teacher who
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takes an unpaid parental or medical leave during the year would be given credit for a year of service
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for that school year if they served a minimum of one-hundred thirty-five school days.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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