Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 16-16 - Teachers’ Retirement [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]
Section 16-16-22. - Contributions to state system.

§ 16-16-22. Contributions to state system.
(a) Prior to July 1, 2012, each teacher shall contribute into the system nine and one-half percent (9.5%) of compensation as his or her share of the cost of annuities, benefits, and allowances. Effective July 1, 2012, each teacher shall contribute an amount equal to three and three quarters percent (3.75%) of his or her compensation. Effective July 1, 2015, each teacher with twenty (20) or more years of total service as of June 30, 2012, shall contribute an amount equal to eleven percent (11%) of his or her compensation. The employer contribution on behalf of teacher members of the system shall be in an amount that will pay a rate percent of the compensation paid to the members, according to the method of financing prescribed in the state retirement act in chapters 8 — 10 and 10.3 of title 36. This amount shall be paid forty percent (40%) by the state and sixty percent (60%) by the city, town, local educational agency, or any formalized commissioner-approved cooperative service arrangement by whom the teacher members are employed, with the exception of teachers who work in federally funded projects and further with the exception of any supplemental contributions by a local municipality employer under chapter 10.3 of title 36 which supplemental employer contributions shall be made wholly by the local municipality. Provided, however, that the rate percent paid shall be rounded to the nearest hundredth of one percent (.01%).
(b) The employer contribution on behalf of teacher members of the system who work in fully or partially federally funded programs shall be prorated in accordance with the share of the contribution paid from the funds of the federal, city, town, or local educational agency, or any formalized commissioner-approved cooperative service arrangement by whom the teacher members are employed.
(c) In case of the failure of any city, town, or local educational agency, or any formalized commissioner-approved cooperative service arrangement, to pay to the state retirement system the amounts due from it under this section within the time prescribed, the general treasurer is authorized to deduct the amount from any money due the city, town, or local educational agency from the state.
(d) The employer’s contribution shared by the state shall be paid in the amounts prescribed in this section for the city, town, or local educational agency and under the same payment schedule. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the city, town, or local educational agency or any formalized commissioner-approved cooperative service arrangement shall remit to the general treasurer of the state the local employer’s share of the teacher’s retirement on the date contributions are withheld but no later than three (3) business days following the pay period ending in which contributions were withheld. The amounts that would have been contributed shall be deposited by the state in a special fund and not used for any purpose. The general treasurer, upon receipt of the local employer’s share, shall effect transfer of a matching amount of money from the state funds appropriated for this purpose by the general assembly into the retirement fund.
Upon reconciliation of the final amount owed to the retirement fund for the employer share, the state shall ensure that any local education aid reduction assumed for the FY 2010 revised budget in excess of the actual savings is restored to the respective local entities.
(e) This section is not subject to §§ 45-13-7 through 45-13-10.
History of Section.P.L. 1948, ch. 2101, § 6; P.L. 1949, ch. 2375, § 1; P.L. 1951, ch. 2830, § 8; G.L. 1956, § 16-16-22; P.L. 1958, ch. 79, § 1; P.L. 1976, ch. 289, § 4; P.L. 1978, ch. 168, § 2; P.L. 1979, ch. 332, § 1; P.L. 1980, ch. 146, § 1; P.L. 1980, ch. 175, § 1; P.L. 1981, ch. 16, § 1; P.L. 1982, ch. 97, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 331, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 509, § 2; P.L. 1989, ch. 126, art. 29, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 6, art. 7, § 4; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 15, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 36; P.L. 2009, ch. 5, art. 10, § 3; P.L. 2009, ch. 68, art. 7, § 9; P.L. 2010, ch. 9, § 2; P.L. 2010, ch. 10, § 2; P.L. 2011, ch. 408, § 10; P.L. 2011, ch. 409, § 10; P.L. 2015, ch. 141, art. 21, § 13; P.L. 2019, ch. 205, § 4; P.L. 2019, ch. 271, § 4; P.L. 2020, ch. 79, art. 2, § 7.

Structure Rhode Island General Laws

Rhode Island General Laws

Title 16 - Education

Chapter 16-16 - Teachers’ Retirement [See Title 16 Chapter 97 — The Rhode Island Board of Education Act]

Section 16-16-1. - Definitions.

Section 16-16-2. - Membership in system.

Section 16-16-3. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-4. - Membership of school nurses.

Section 16-16-5. - Service creditable.

Section 16-16-6. - Credit for service in private schools or as federal employee — Contributions.

Section 16-16-6.1. - Credit for service outside state.

Section 16-16-6.2. - Service credit for appropriate work experience — Contributions.

Section 16-16-6.3. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-6.4. - Service credit for appropriate work experience — Certified nurse teachers — Contributions.

Section 16-16-7. - Credit for military leave.

Section 16-16-7.1. - Armed service credit.

Section 16-16-7.2. - Peace corps, teacher corps, and volunteers in service to America — Credit.

Section 16-16-8. - Credit for service as a state or municipal employee.

Section 16-16-8.1. - Purchase of service credits payable by installment.

Section 16-16-9, 16-16-10. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-11. - Benefits payable — Survivor’s benefits.

Section 16-16-12. - Procedure for service retirement.

Section 16-16-12.1. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-13. - Amount of service retirement allowance.

Section 16-16-13.1. - Teachers with more than 30 years of service — Amount of service retirement allowance — Minimum and maximum limitations.

Section 16-16-14. - Retirement for ordinary disability.

Section 16-16-15. - Amount of ordinary disability benefit.

Section 16-16-16. - Retirement for accidental disability.

Section 16-16-17. - Amount of accidental disability benefit.

Section 16-16-18. - Disability benefits pending final decision on application.

Section 16-16-19. - Reexamination of disability beneficiaries — Reduction of benefit — Reinstatement to active service.

Section 16-16-20. - Deduction of amounts received from workers’ compensation or as damages.

Section 16-16-21. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-22. - Contributions to state system.

Section 16-16-22.1. - City or town payment of teacher member contributions.

Section 16-16-23. - Applicability of public employees’ retirement law.

Section 16-16-24. - Substitute teaching and employment after retirement.

Section 16-16-24.1. - Substitute teaching and post-retirement employment related to COVID-19.

Section 16-16-25. - Eligibility for survivor’s benefits — Payment.

Section 16-16-26. - Spouse’s or domestic partner’s benefits.

Section 16-16-27. - Family benefits.

Section 16-16-28. - Children’s benefits.

Section 16-16-29. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-30. - Parent’s benefits.

Section 16-16-31. - Refund on termination prior to retirement.

Section 16-16-32. - Refund on retirement.

Section 16-16-33. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-34. - Member leaving no survivors — Reversion.

Section 16-16-35. - Contributions.

Section 16-16-36. - Teachers’ survivors benefit fund.

Section 16-16-37. - Administration.

Section 16-16-38. - Social security.

Section 16-16-39. - Severability.

Section 16-16-40. - Additional benefits payable to retired teachers.

Section 16-16-40.1. - One-time adjustment to original retirement allowance.

Section 16-16-41. - Repealed.

Section 16-16-42. - Life insurance benefits.

Section 16-16-43. - Purchase of credit while serving a prison sentence prohibited.