2022 -- H 7517

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LC004757

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM --

ADMINISTRATION -- BOARD COMPOSITION

     

     Introduced By: Representatives C Lima, Williams, Cardillo, Shanley, Vella-Wilkinson,
Hull, Serpa, Potter, Azzinaro, and J Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 36-8-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 36-8 entitled "Retirement

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System - Administration" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     36-8-4. Composition of retirement board.

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     (a) There is hereby authorized, created and established in the office of the general treasurer

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an independent retirement board which shall hold and administer, in trust, the funds of the

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retirement system in accordance with the provisions of chapters 8 -- 10 of this title and shall perform

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such functions as authorized by law. The membership of the retirement board shall consist of: the

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general treasurer or his or her designee who shall be a subordinate within the general treasurer's

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office; the director of administration or his or her designee who shall be a subordinate within the

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department of administration; a representative of the budget office or his or her designee from

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within the budget office, who shall be appointed by the director of administration; the president of

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the league of cities and towns or his or her designee; two (2) active state employee members of the

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retirement system or officials from state employee unions to be elected by active state employees;

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two (2) active teacher members of the retirement system or officials from a teachers union to be

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elected by active teachers; one active municipal employee member of the retirement system or an

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official from a municipal employees union to be elected by active municipal employees; two (2)

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retired members of the retirement system to be elected by retired members of the system; one active

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firefighter member of the retirement system or official from a firefighters union, to be elected by

 

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active firefighters; one active police officer of the retirement system or official from a police

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officers union, to be elected by active police officers; and four (4) public members, all of whom

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shall be competent by training or experience in the field of finance, accounting or pensions; two

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(2) of the public members shall be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall serve an initial

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term of three (3) years and one of whom shall serve an initial term of four (4) years and until his or

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her successor is appointed and qualified; and two (2) of the public members shall be appointed by

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the general treasurer, one of whom shall serve an initial term of three (3) years and one of whom

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shall serve an initial term of four (4) years and until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.

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Thereafter, the term of these four (4) public members shall be for four (4) years or until their

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successors are appointed and qualified. Meetings shall be open to the public in accordance with the

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provisions of chapter 42-46 of the general laws. Any member of the general public who was

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appointed by the governor prior to July 4, 2006 shall continue to serve until such time as a successor

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is appointed and qualified. Any member who was elected prior to July 4, 2006 shall serve for the

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remainder of his or her elected term.

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     (b) Meetings shall be held at such place as may be designated in the call of the meeting,

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provided at no cost to the state, at least monthly at the call of the chair.

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     (c) The elected members of the retirement board shall be seated by the following procedure:

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     (1) Each candidate for a position on the board must have one hundred (100) signatures of

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members of their respective group.

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     (2) The term of office for elected members shall be for four (4) years, and election of their

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successors shall be given by the board prior to the expiration of the terms of the incumbent elected

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members.

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     (3) By petition for recall of twenty percent (20%) of the respective membership of the

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various groups a new election shall be ordered by the retirement board.

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     (d) All gubernatorial and general treasurer appointments made under this section after July

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4, 2006 shall be subject to the advice and consent of the senate. No one shall be eligible for

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appointment unless he or she is a resident of this state.

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     (e) Public members of the board shall be removable by the chair for cause only, and

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removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity or fitness for the office shall

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be unlawful.

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     (f) Newly appointed and qualified public members shall, within six (6) months of their

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appointment, attend a training course that shall be developed and provided by the office of the

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general treasurer and shall include instruction in the following areas: the provisions of chapters 42-

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46, 36-14 and 38-2 of the Rhode Island general laws, the retirement statutes; and the board's rules

 

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and regulations. The director of the department of administration shall, within ninety (90) days of

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July 4, 2006 prepare and disseminate training materials relating to the provisions of chapters 42-

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46, 36-14 and 38-2.

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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 PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM --

ADMINISTRATION -- BOARD COMPOSITION

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     This act would add two (2) members to the retirement board; one active firefighter of the

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retirement system or official from its union, to be elected by active firefighters and an active police

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officer of the retirement system or official from their union, to be elected by active police offices.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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