Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0777 Compare Versions

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55 2025 -- S 0777
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99 S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
1010 IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1111 JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
1212 ____________
1313
1414 A N A C T
1515 RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM--
1616 CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS
1717 Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, LaMountain, Dimitri, Burke, Appollonio, and Patalano
1818 Date Introduced: March 14, 2025
1919 Referred To: Senate Finance
2020
2121
2222 It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
2323 SECTION 1. Section 36-10-35 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-10 entitled "Retirement 1
2424 System — Contributions and Benefits" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
2525 36-10-35. Additional benefits payable to retired employees. 3
2626 (a) All state employees and all beneficiaries of state employees receiving any service 4
2727 retirement or ordinary or accidental disability retirement allowance pursuant to the provisions of 5
2828 this title on or before December 31, 1967, shall receive a cost of living retirement adjustment equal 6
2929 to one and one-half percent (1.5%) per year of the original retirement allowance, not compounded, 7
3030 for each calendar year the retirement allowance has been in effect. For the purposes of computation, 8
3131 credit shall be given for a full calendar year regardless of the effective date of the retirement 9
3232 allowance. This cost of living adjustment shall be added to the amount of the retirement allowance 10
3333 as of January 1, 1968, and an additional one and one-half percent (1.5%) shall be added to the 11
3434 original retirement allowance in each succeeding year during the month of January, and provided 12
3535 further, that this additional cost of living increase shall be three percent (3%) for the year beginning 13
3636 January 1, 1971, and each year thereafter, through December 31, 1980. Notwithstanding any of the 14
3737 above provisions, no employee receiving any service retirement allowance pursuant to the 15
3838 provisions of this title on or before December 31, 1967, or the employee’s beneficiary, shall receive 16
3939 any additional benefit hereunder in an amount less than two hundred dollars ($200) per year over 17
4040 the service retirement allowance where the employee retired prior to January 1, 1958. 18
4141
4242
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4444 (b) All state employees and all beneficiaries of state employees retired on or after January 1
4545 1, 1968, who are receiving any service retirement or ordinary or accidental disability retirement 2
4646 allowance pursuant to the provisions of this title shall, on the first day of January next following 3
4747 the third anniversary date of the retirement, receive a cost of living retirement adjustment, in 4
4848 addition to their retirement allowance, in an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the original 5
4949 retirement allowance. In each succeeding year thereafter through December 31, 1980, during the 6
5050 month of January, the retirement allowance shall be increased an additional three percent (3%) of 7
5151 the original retirement allowance, not compounded, to be continued during the lifetime of the 8
5252 employee or beneficiary. For the purposes of computation, credit shall be given for a full calendar 9
5353 year regardless of the effective date of the service retirement allowance. 10
5454 (c)(1) Beginning on January 1, 1981, for all state employees and beneficiaries of the state 11
5555 employees receiving any service retirement and all state employees, and all beneficiaries of state 12
5656 employees, who have completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service on or before July 1, 13
5757 2005, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and for all state employees, and all beneficiaries 14
5858 of state employees who receive a disability retirement allowance pursuant to §§ 36-10-12 — 36-15
5959 10-15, the cost of living adjustment shall be computed and paid at the rate of three percent (3%) of 16
6060 the original retirement allowance or the retirement allowance as computed in accordance with § 17
6161 36-10-35.1, compounded annually from the year for which the cost of living adjustment was 18
6262 determined to be payable by the retirement board pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) 19
6363 of this section. Such cost of living adjustments are available to members who retire before October 20
6464 1, 2009, or are eligible to retire as of September 30, 2009. 21
6565 (2) The provisions of this subsection shall be deemed to apply prospectively only and no 22
6666 retroactive payment shall be made. 23
6767 (3) The retirement allowance of all state employees and all beneficiaries of state employees 24
6868 who have not completed at least ten (10) years of contributory service on or before July 1, 2005, or 25
6969 were not eligible to retire as of September 30, 2009, shall, on the month following the third 26
7070 anniversary date of retirement, and on the month following the anniversary date of each succeeding 27
7171 year be adjusted and computed by multiplying the retirement allowance by three percent (3%) or 28
7272 the percentage of increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as 29
7373 published by the United States Department of Labor Statistics determined as of September 30 of 30
7474 the prior calendar year, whichever is less; the cost of living adjustment shall be compounded 31
7575 annually from the year for which the cost of living adjustment was determined payable by the 32
7676 retirement board; provided, that no adjustment shall cause any retirement allowance to be decreased 33
7777 from the retirement allowance provided immediately before such adjustment. 34
7878
7979
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8181 (d) For state employees not eligible to retire in accordance with this chapter as of 1
8282 September 30, 2009, and not eligible upon passage of this article, and for their beneficiaries, the 2
8383 cost of living adjustment described in subsection (c)(3) of this section shall only apply to the first 3
8484 thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) of retirement allowance, indexed annually, and shall 4
8585 commence upon the third (3rd) anniversary of the date of retirement or when the retiree reaches 5
8686 age sixty-five (65), whichever is later. The thirty-five thousand dollar ($35,000) limit shall increase 6
8787 annually by the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-7
8888 U) as published by the United States Department of Labor Statistics determined as of September 8
8989 30 of the prior calendar year or three percent (3%), whichever is less. The first thirty-five thousand 9
9090 dollars ($35,000) of retirement allowance, as indexed, shall be multiplied by the percentage of 10
9191 increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the United 11
9292 States Department of Labor Statistics determined as of September 30 of the prior calendar year or 12
9393 three percent (3%), whichever is less, on the month following the anniversary date of each 13
9494 succeeding year. For state employees eligible to retire as of September 30, 2009, or eligible upon 14
9595 passage of this article, and for their beneficiaries, the provisions of this subsection (d) shall not 15
9696 apply. 16
9797 (e) All legislators and all beneficiaries of legislators who are receiving a retirement 17
9898 allowance pursuant to the provisions of § 36-10-9.1 for a period of three (3) or more years, shall, 18
9999 commencing January 1, 1982, receive a cost of living retirement adjustment, in addition to a 19
100100 retirement allowance, in an amount equal to three percent (3%) of the original retirement allowance. 20
101101 In each succeeding year thereafter during the month of January, the retirement allowance shall be 21
102102 increased an additional three percent (3%) of the original retirement allowance, compounded 22
103103 annually, to be continued during the lifetime of the legislator or beneficiary. For the purposes of 23
104104 computation, credit shall be given for a full calendar year regardless of the effective date of the 24
105105 service retirement allowance. 25
106106 (f) The provisions of §§ 45-13-7 — 45-13-10 shall not apply to this section. 26
107107 (g) This subsection (g) shall be effective for the period July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2015. 27
108108 (1) Notwithstanding the prior paragraphs of this section, and subject to subsection (g)(2) 28
109109 below, for all present and former employees, active and retired members, and beneficiaries 29
110110 receiving any retirement, disability or death allowance or benefit of any kind, the annual benefit 30
111111 adjustment provided in any calendar year under this section shall be equal to (A) multiplied by (B) 31
112112 where (A) is equal to the percentage determined by subtracting five and one-half percent (5.5%) 32
113113 (the “subtrahend”) from the Five-Year Average Investment Return of the retirement system 33
114114 determined as of the last day of the plan year preceding the calendar year in which the adjustment 34
115115
116116
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118118 is granted, said percentage not to exceed four percent (4%) and not to be less than zero percent 1
119119 (0%), and (B) is equal to the lesser of the member’s retirement allowance or the first twenty-five 2
120120 thousand dollars ($25,000) of retirement allowance, such twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) 3
121121 amount to be indexed annually in the same percentage as determined under (g)(1)(A) above. The 4
122122 “Five-Year Average Investment Return” shall mean the average of the investment returns of the 5
123123 most recent five (5) plan years as determined by the retirement board. Subject to subsection (g)(2) 6
124124 below, the benefit adjustment provided by this subsection (g)(1) shall commence upon the third 7
125125 (3rd) anniversary of the date of retirement or the date on which the retiree reaches their Social 8
126126 Security retirement age, whichever is later. In the event the retirement board adjusts the actuarially 9
127127 assumed rate of return for the system, either upward or downward, the subtrahend shall be adjusted 10
128128 either upward or downward in the same amount. 11
129129 (2) Except as provided in subsection (g)(3), the benefit adjustments under this section for 12
130130 any plan year shall be suspended in their entirety unless the funded ratio of the employees’ 13
131131 retirement system of Rhode Island, the judicial retirement benefits trust, and the state police 14
132132 retirement benefits trust, calculated by the system’s actuary on an aggregate basis, exceeds eighty 15
133133 percent (80%) in which event the benefit adjustment will be reinstated for all members for such 16
134134 plan year. 17
135135 In determining whether a funding level under this subsection (g)(2) has been achieved, the 18
136136 actuary shall calculate the funding percentage after taking into account the reinstatement of any 19
137137 current or future benefit adjustment provided under this section. 20
138138 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (g)(2), in each fifth plan year commencing after June 30, 21
139139 2012, commencing with the plan year ending June 30, 2017, and subsequently at intervals of five 22
140140 plan years, a benefit adjustment shall be calculated and made in accordance with subsection (g)(1) 23
141141 above until the funded ratio of the employees’ retirement system of Rhode Island, the judicial 24
142142 retirement benefits trust, and the state police retirement benefits trust, calculated by the system’s 25
143143 actuary on an aggregate basis, exceeds eighty percent (80%). 26
144144 (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the provisions of this subsection 27
145145 (g) shall become effective July 1, 2012, and shall apply to any benefit adjustment not granted on or 28
146146 prior to June 30, 2012. 29
147147 (h) This subsection (h) shall become effective July 1, 2015. 30
148148 (1)(A) As soon as administratively reasonable following the enactment into law of this 31
149149 subsection (h)(1)(A), a one-time benefit adjustment shall be provided to members and/or 32
150150 beneficiaries of members who retired on or before June 30, 2012, in the amount of two percent 33
151151 (2%) of the lesser of either the member’s retirement allowance or the first twenty-five thousand 34
152152
153153
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155155 dollars ($25,000) of the member’s retirement allowance. This one-time benefit adjustment shall be 1
156156 provided without regard to the retiree’s age or number of years since retirement. 2
157157 (B) Notwithstanding the prior subsections of this section, for all present and former 3
158158 employees, active and retired members, and beneficiaries receiving any retirement, disability or 4
159159 death allowance or benefit of any kind, the annual benefit adjustment provided in any calendar year 5
160160 under this section for adjustments on and after January 1, 2016, and subject to subsection (h)(2) 6
161161 below, shall be equal to (I) multiplied by (II): 7
162162 (I) shall equal the sum of fifty percent (50%) of (i) plus fifty percent (50%) of (ii) where: 8
163163 (i) is equal to the percentage determined by subtracting five and one-half percent (5.5%) 9
164164 (the “subtrahend”) from the five-year average investment return of the retirement system 10
165165 determined as of the last day of the plan year preceding the calendar year in which the adjustment 11
166166 is granted, said percentage not to exceed four percent (4%) and not to be less than zero percent 12
167167 (0%). The “five-year average investment return” shall mean the average of the investment returns 13
168168 of the most recent five (5) plan years as determined by the retirement board. In the event the 14
169169 retirement board adjusts the actuarially assumed rate of return for the system, either upward or 15
170170 downward, the subtrahend shall be adjusted either upward or downward in the same amount. 16
171171 (ii) is equal to the lesser of three percent (3%) or the percentage increase in the Consumer 17
172172 Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) as published by the U.S. Department of Labor 18
173173 Statistics determined as of September 30 of the prior calendar year. In no event shall the sum of (i) 19
174174 plus (ii) exceed three and one-half percent (3.5%) or be less than zero percent (0%). 20
175175 (II) is equal to the lesser of either the member’s retirement allowance or the first twenty-21
176176 five thousand eight hundred and fifty-five dollars ($25,855) of retirement allowance, such amount 22
177177 to be indexed annually in the same percentage as determined under subsection (h)(1)(B)(I) above. 23
178178 The benefit adjustments provided by this subsection (h)(1)(B) shall be provided to all 24
179179 retirees entitled to receive a benefit adjustment as of June 30, 2012, under the law then in effect, 25
180180 and for all other retirees the benefit adjustments shall commence upon the third anniversary of the 26
181181 date of retirement or the date on which the retiree reaches their Social Security retirement age, 27
182182 whichever is later. 28
183183 (2) Except for members and/or beneficiaries of members who retired on or before June 30, 29
184184 2012, the benefit adjustments under subsection (h)(1)(B) for any plan year shall be reduced to 30
185185 twenty-five percent (25%) of the benefit adjustment unless the funded ratio of the employees’ 31
186186 retirement system of Rhode Island, the judicial retirement benefits trust, and the state police 32
187187 retirement benefits trust, calculated by the system’s actuary on an aggregate basis, exceeds eighty 33
188188 percent (80%) in which event the benefit adjustment will be reinstated for all members for such 34
189189
190190
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192192 plan year. Effective July 1, 2024, the funded ratio of the employees’ retirement system of Rhode 1
193193 Island, the judicial retirement benefits trust, and the state police retirement benefits trust, calculated 2
194194 by the system’s actuary on an aggregate basis, of exceeding eighty percent (80%) for the benefit 3
195195 adjustment to be reinstated for all members for such plan year shall be replaced with seventy-five 4
196196 percent (75%). 5
197197 In determining whether a funding level under this subsection (h)(2) has been achieved, the 6
198198 actuary shall calculate the funding percentage after taking into account the reinstatement of any 7
199199 current or future benefit adjustment provided under this section. 8
200200 (3) Effective for members and/or beneficiaries of members who retired after June 30, 2012, 9
201201 or on or before June 30, 2015, the dollar amount in subsection (h)(1)(B)(II) of twenty-five thousand 10
202202 eight hundred and fifty-five dollars ($25,855) shall be replaced with thirty-one thousand and 11
203203 twenty-six dollars ($31,026) until the funded ratio of the employees’ retirement system of Rhode 12
204204 Island, the judicial retirement benefits trust, and the state police retirement benefits trust, calculated 13
205205 by the system’s actuary on an aggregate basis, exceeds eighty percent (80%). Effective July 1, 14
206206 2024, the funded ratio of the employees’ retirement system of Rhode Island, the judicial retirement 15
207207 benefits trust, and the state police retirement benefits trust, calculated by the system’s actuary on 16
208208 an aggregate basis, of exceeding eighty percent (80%) shall be replaced with seventy-five percent 17
209209 (75%). 18
210210 (i) Effective for members and/or beneficiaries of members who have retired on or before 19
211211 July 1, 2015, a one-time stipend of five hundred dollars ($500) shall be payable within sixty (60) 20
212212 days following the enactment of the legislation implementing this provision, and a second one-time 21
213213 stipend of five hundred dollars ($500) in the same month of the following year. These stipends 22
214214 shall be payable to all retired members or beneficiaries receiving a benefit as of the applicable 23
215215 payment date and shall not be considered cost of living adjustments under the prior provisions of 24
216216 this section. 25
217217 (j) Notwithstanding the prior subsections of this section, for all present and former 26
218218 employees, active and retired members, and beneficiaries receiving any retirement, disability or 27
219219 death allowance or benefit of any kind, shall receive an annual benefit adjustment equal to a two 28
220220 thousand dollar ($2,000) increase per year for each calendar year. 29
221221 (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the provisions of this subsection 30
222222 shall become effective July 1, 2026, and shall apply to any benefit adjustment not granted on or 31
223223 prior to June 30, 2026. 32
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227227 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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234234 EXPLANATION
235235 BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
236236 OF
237237 A N A C T
238238 RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM--
239239 CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS
240240 ***
241241 This act would require effective July 1, 2026, that all present and former employees, active 1
242242 and retired members, and beneficiaries receiving any retirement, disability or death allowance or 2
243243 benefit of any kind, shall receive an annual benefit adjustment of two thousand dollars ($2,000) 3
244244 each calendar year. 4
245245 This act would take effect upon passage. 5
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