AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' TENURE (Requires any teacher under suspension for criminal conduct to repay the school district for any salary received if convicted of a felony, less any amounts paid to satisfy taxes and employee benefits. It also makes one typographical correction.)

S3137

2026 -- S 3137
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LC006150
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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' TENURE

Introduced By:
Senator Louis P. DiPalma

Date Introduced:
March 20, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Labor & Gaming
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 16-13-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-13 entitled "Teachers’
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Tenure" is hereby amended to read as follows:
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16-13-5. Suspension for cause — Payment for period suspended.
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(a) Section 16-13-4 shall not prevent the suspension of a teacher for good and just cause.
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Prior to the suspension of a teacher as provided in this section, the school committee shall hold a
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pre-suspension hearing to determine if a suspension is warranted, and at the pre-suspension hearing,
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shall consider any available evidence and afford the teacher or his or her counsel an opportunity to
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respond to that evidence. In the event a teacher is suspended or otherwise not permitted to perform
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his or her duties prior to the
presuspension

pre-suspension
hearing, then the teacher shall be paid
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his or her regular salary during that period.
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(b) Whenever a teacher is suspended by a school committee, the school committee shall
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furnish the teacher with a complete statement of the cause(s) of the suspension and, upon request,
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shall afford the teacher a hearing and appeal pursuant to the procedure set forth in § 16-13-4. If the
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teacher shall be vindicated as a result of the hearing or any appeal the teacher shall be paid in full
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for the period of suspension, and provided further, that during the period of suspension, all medical
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and insurance benefits shall remain in full force and effect.
However, if the teacher is placed on
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suspension pending the outcome of a criminal investigation or prosecution, and convicted of a
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felony, as defined in § 11-1-2, the teacher shall repay to the school district the amount of the salary
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paid during the period of suspension, less any amounts paid to satisfy all taxes and any employee

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benefits.
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(c) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit or at any time to have
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prohibited a school committee in a municipality or regional school district with an elected school
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committee, or the chief executive officer in a municipality with an appointed school committee,
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from agreeing, in a collective bargaining agreement, to the arbitration of disputes arising out of the
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suspension of a teacher pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
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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' TENURE
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This act would require any teacher under suspension for criminal conduct to repay the
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school district for any salary received if convicted of a felony, less any amounts paid to satisfy
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taxes and employee benefits. It also makes one typographical correction.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC006150
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LC006150 - Page 3 of 3