Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 45-21 - Retirement of Municipal Employees
Section 45-21-47. - Reserved power to amend or repeal — Vested rights.

§ 45-21-47. Reserved power to amend or repeal — Vested rights.
The right to amend, alter, or repeal this chapter at any time or from time to time is expressly reserved, and in that event the liability of the municipal employees’ retirement system is limited in the case of a member or a person claiming through the member to the contributions made by the member, without interest, and in the case of a municipality, to contributions made by the municipality without interest, subject to deductions prescribed in the case of withdrawal by a municipality as provided in § 45-21-6. All retirement allowances or other benefits granted by the retirement of members, and in force prior to a repeal or amendment, are vested in the beneficiaries of the retirement allowances and shall be paid in full in accordance with the terms of this chapter, and the rights of the retirement board to compel the payment by any municipality of the sum or sums necessary to provide the retirement allowances granted to members formerly employed by the municipality shall not be affected by the repeal or amendment.
History of Section.P.L. 1951, ch. 2784, § 18; G.L. 1956, § 45-21-47.

Structure Rhode Island General Laws

Rhode Island General Laws

Title 45 - Towns and Cities

Chapter 45-21 - Retirement of Municipal Employees

Section 45-21-1. - Purpose of chapter.

Section 45-21-2. - Definitions.

Section 45-21-3. - Effective date of operations.

Section 45-21-4. - Acceptance by municipalities — Effective date.

Section 45-21-5. - Procedure for withdrawal of municipality.

Section 45-21-6. - Settlement on withdrawal from system.

Section 45-21-7. - Liability of municipalities — Enforcement.

Section 45-21-8. - Membership in system.

Section 45-21-8.1. - Exclusion of elected city, town council or other elected members.

Section 45-21-9. - Prior service credit of members joining by election — Purchase of credit for prior service.

Section 45-21-10. - Information furnished as to members — Classification.

Section 45-21-11. - Cessation of membership.

Section 45-21-12. - Statements as to prior service.

Section 45-21-12.1. - Credit for service as a teacher or state employee.

Section 45-21-13. - Verification of prior service.

Section 45-21-14. - Computation of years of service.

Section 45-21-14.1. - Repealed.

Section 45-21-14.2. - Leave of absence credits.

Section 45-21-15. - Prior service certificate.

Section 45-21-16. - Retirement on service allowance.

Section 45-21-16.1. - Repealed.

Section 45-21-16.2. - Electronic funds transfer.

Section 45-21-17. - Service retirement allowance.

Section 45-21-17.1. - Optional service retirement benefits — Applicability to members of city or town legislative bodies.

Section 45-21-17.2. - Social security supplemental option.

Section 45-21-18. - Deferred allowance on service retirement before minimum age.

Section 45-21-19. - Retirement for ordinary disability.

Section 45-21-20. - Ordinary disability allowance.

Section 45-21-21. - Retirement for accidental disability.

Section 45-21-22. - Accidental disability allowance.

Section 45-21-23. - Periodical examination of disability annuitants — Placement on employment lists.

Section 45-21-24. - Adjustment of disability allowances on return to work — Discontinuance for refusal to submit to examination.

Section 45-21-25. - Accidental death benefits.

Section 45-21-26. - Ordinary death benefits.

Section 45-21-27. - Benefit on death of retired employee.

Section 45-21-28. - Refund of contributions on cessation of membership.

Section 45-21-29. - Repayment of refunded contributions — Reinstatement of service credit.

Section 45-21-30. - Optional benefits on service retirement.

Section 45-21-31. - Offset of workers’ compensation or personal injury recovery.

Section 45-21-32. - Retirement system established as corporation — Management.

Section 45-21-33. - Information furnished by municipalities.

Section 45-21-34. - Annual report and statement.

Section 45-21-35. - Legal adviser — General treasurer — Executive director — Assistant director.

Section 45-21-36. - Clerical and professional assistance — Appropriations and disbursements.

Section 45-21-37. - Vouchers for payment of benefits.

Section 45-21-38. - Receipt of contributions — Investment of funds.

Section 45-21-39. - Credit of interest.

Section 45-21-40. - Improper interest in investments of board.

Section 45-21-41. - Members’ contributions — Payroll deductions — Certification to board.

Section 45-21-41.1. - Municipality payment of member contributions.

Section 45-21-42. - Contributions by municipalities.

Section 45-21-42.1. - Payment of administrative expenses of the retirement board and maintaining the retirement system — Restricted receipt account.

Section 45-21-42.2. - Fiscal impact of proposed legislation impacting the retirement system.

Section 45-21-43. - Accounts and records — Reserve accounts.

Section 45-21-43.1. - Actuarial cost method.

Section 45-21-44. - Guaranties by municipalities — Adjustment of contribution rates.

Section 45-21-45. - Tax exemption.

Section 45-21-46. - Forfeiture for fraudulent claims.

Section 45-21-47. - Reserved power to amend or repeal — Vested rights.

Section 45-21-48 - — 45-21-50. Repealed.

Section 45-21-51. - Persons eligible for optional benefits — Time of election — Modification or revocation — Effective date.

Section 45-21-51.1. - Optional annuity protection — Election of option by member.

Section 45-21-52. - Automatic increase in service retirement allowance.

Section 45-21-53. - Armed service credit.

Section 45-21-54. - Reemployment of retired members.

Section 45-21-54.1. - Reemployment of retired members related to COVID-19. [Expires after 2021-2022 school year.]

Section 45-21-55. - Retired members of the town of Warren.

Section 45-21-56. - Credit for other municipal service.

Section 45-21-57. - Life insurance benefits.

Section 45-21-58. - Credits for layoffs.

Section 45-21-59. - Effect of deferral and/or reduction of salary.

Section 45-21-60. - Pensioners and beneficiaries of Plan No. 3023 — Town of North Kingstown.

Section 45-21-61. - Purchase of credit while serving a prison sentence — Prohibited.

Section 45-21-62. - Purchase of credits for continuous municipal service.

Section 45-21-63. - Health insurance coverage of retired municipal employees.

Section 45-21-64. - Purchase of service credits payable by installment.

Section 45-21-65. - Other post-employment benefits — OPEB trusts.

Section 45-21-66. - Severability.

Section 45-21-67. - Central Falls retirees — Settlement agreement.