2022 -- H 8268

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LC005997

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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- RETIREMENT OF MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, Ruggiero, and Abney

     Date Introduced: May 19, 2022

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 45-21-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-21 entitled "Retirement

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of Municipal Employees" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-21-8. Membership in system.

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     Membership in the retirement system does not begin before the effective date of

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participation in the system as provided in § 45-21-4, § 45-21.4-2, or § 45-21.4-3 and consists of the

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following:

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     (a) Any employee of a participating municipality as defined in this chapter, who becomes

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an employee on and after the effective date of participation, shall, under contract of his or her

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employment, become a member of the retirement system; provided, that the employee is not

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receiving any pension or retirement allowance from any other pension or retirement system

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supported wholly or in part by a participating municipality, and is not a contributor to any other

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pension or retirement system of a participating municipality. Any employee who is elected to an

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office in the service of a municipality after the effective date and prior to July 1, 2012, has the

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option of becoming a member of the system, which option must be exercised within sixty (60) days

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following the date the employee assumes the duties of his or her office, otherwise that person is not

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entitled to participate under the provisions of this section;

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     (b) Any employee or elected official of a participating municipality in service prior to the

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effective date of participation, who is not a member of any other pension or retirement system

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supported wholly or in part by a participating municipality, and who does not notify the retirement

 

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board in writing before the expiration of sixty (60) days from the effective date of participation that

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he or she does not wish to join the system, shall automatically become a member; and

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     (c) Any employee of a participating municipality in service prior to the effective date of

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participation, who is a member of any other pension or retirement system supported wholly or in

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part by a participating municipality on the effective date of participation of their municipality, who

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then or thereafter makes written application to join this system, and waives and renounces all

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accrued rights and benefits of any other pension or retirement system supported wholly or in part

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by a participating municipality, becomes a member of this retirement system and shall not be

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required to make contribution under any other pension or retirement system of a participating

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municipality, anything to the contrary notwithstanding.

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     (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, present firefighters employed by the

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town of Johnston shall establish a pension plan separate from the state of Rhode Island retirement

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system. If the town of Johnston is thirty (30) days or more late on employer or employee

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contributions to the pension plan, the auditor general is authorized to redirect any Johnston funds

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to cover the shortfall or to deduct that amount from any moneys due the town from the state for any

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purpose other than for education. Disability determinations of present firefighters shall be made by

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the state retirement board, subject to the provisions of § 45-21-19, at the town of Johnston's

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expense. All new firefighters hired by the town of Johnston shall become members of the state

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retirement system.

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     (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any city of Cranston employees who are

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presently members of Teamsters Local Union No. 251, hired between the dates of July 1, 2005,

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and June 30, 2010, inclusive, and who are currently members of the retirement system established

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by this chapter may opt out of said retirement system and choose to enroll in a defined contribution

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plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the city of Cranston.

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     (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any city of Cranston employees who are

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presently members of the Laborers International Union of North America Local 1322 hired between

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the dates of July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2013, inclusive, and who are currently members of the

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retirement system established by this chapter may opt out of said retirement system and choose to

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enroll in a defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the

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city of Cranston.

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     (g) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any city of Cranston employees who

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will be members of Teamsters Local Union No. 251, hired after June 30, 2010, shall be enrolled in

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a defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the city of

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Cranston and shall not be a member of the retirement system established by this chapter.

 

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     (h) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any city of Cranston employees who are

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presently members of the Laborers International Union of North America Local 1322 hired after

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April 23, 2013, shall be enrolled in a defined contribution plan (i.e., 403(b) plan or equivalent

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thereof) established by the city of Cranston and shall not be a member of the retirement system

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established by this chapter.

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     (i) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any city of Cranston employees defined

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in subsections (e) and (f) of this section shall be precluded from purchase of service credit for time

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served on or after July 1, 2010, while participating in the defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b)

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plan or equivalent thereof) established by the city of Cranston should the member cease

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employment with the city of Cranston or Teamsters Local Union No. 251 and re-enter the system

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with another participating employer who has accepted the provisions as defined, in § 45-21-4.

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     (j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any town of Middletown employees,

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who will be members of the Teamsters Local Union No. 251 bargaining unit, hired after June 30,

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2012, and who are not at the time of hire active members of the retirement system established by

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this chapter and who were never active members of the retirement system established by this

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chapter, and any town of Middletown employees who are employed as full-time civilian

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dispatchers, hired after June 30, 2012, and who are not at the time of hire active members of the

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retirement system established by this chapter and who were never active members of the retirement

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system established by this chapter, and any town of Middletown employees who are not affiliated

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with any recognized collective bargaining representative or union hired after June 30, 2012, and

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who are not at the time of hire active members of the retirement system established by this chapter

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and who were never active members of the retirement system established by this chapter, shall be

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enrolled in a defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the

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town of Middletown and shall not be members of the retirement system established by this chapter.

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Said town of Middletown employees defined herein shall be precluded from the purchase of service

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credit for time served on or after July 1, 2012, while participating in the defined contribution plan

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(i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the town of Middletown should the member

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cease employment with the town of Middletown or in the Teamsters Local Union No. 251

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bargaining unit and re-enter the system with any participating employer who has accepted the

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provisions as defined in § 45-21-4. Any town of Middletown employees hired after June 30, 2022,

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who are at the time of hire active members of the retirement system established by this chapter or

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who were previously active members of the retirement system established by this chapter shall

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remain as such active members or shall be re-instated as active members, as the case may be, and

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shall not be enrolled in a defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof)

 

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established by the town of Middletown. Moreover, any town of Middletown employee who was at

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the time of hire an active member of the retirement system established by this chapter or who was

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previously an active member of the retirement system established by this chapter, but who was

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forced to become or remain an inactive member by virtue of their having been hired by the town

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of Middletown at a time when such was required by law, may (by December 31, 2022, and not

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thereafter) request in writing to be dis-enrolled from the town of Middletown's defined contribution

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plan and to have their contributions refunded to them; to be reinstated as an active member of the

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retirement system established by this chapter; and to be allowed to purchase service credit for their

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service while participating in Middletown's defined contribution plan (notwithstanding the

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preclusion provided above in this subsection), which request, if timely made, shall be allowed. To

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be clear, persons reinstated under the terms of this section as active members of the retirement

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system established by this chapter shall be reinstated only with such service credits, if any, as they

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may have earned or purchased in accordance with the law and are thereafter subject to all laws and

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rules otherwise applicable to active members.

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     (k) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any town of Middletown employees,

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who will be members of the Middletown Municipal Employees Association NEARI Local 869

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bargaining unit hired after June 30, 2012, and who are not at the time of hire active members of the

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retirement system established by this chapter and who were never active members of the retirement

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system established by this chapter, shall be enrolled in a defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b)

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plan or equivalent thereof) established by the town of Middletown and shall not be members of the

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retirement system established by this chapter. Said town of Middletown employees defined herein

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shall be precluded from the purchase of service credit for time served on or after July 1, 2012, while

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participating in the defined contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established

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by the town of Middletown should the member cease employment with the town of Middletown or

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in the Middletown Municipal Employees Association NEARI Local 869 bargaining unit and re-

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enter the system with any participating employer who has accepted the provisions as defined in §

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45-21-4. Any town of Middletown employees hired after June 30, 2022, who are at the time of hire

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active members of the retirement system established by this chapter or who were previously active

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members of the retirement system established by this chapter shall remain as such active members

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or shall be re-instated as active members, as the case may be, and shall not be enrolled in a defined

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contribution plan (i.e., a 403(b) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the town of Middletown.

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Moreover, any town of Middletown employee who was at the time of hire an active member of the

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retirement system established by this chapter or who was previously an active member of the

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retirement system established by this chapter, but who was forced to become or remain an inactive

 

LC005997 - Page 4 of 7

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member by virtue of their having been hired by the town of Middletown at a time when such was

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required by law, may (by December 31, 2022, and not thereafter) request in writing to be

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disenrolled from the town of Middletown's defined contribution plan and to have their contributions

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refunded to them; to be reinstated as an active member of the retirement system established by this

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chapter; and to be allowed to purchase service credit for their service while participating in

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Middletown's defined contribution plan (notwithstanding the preclusion provided above in this

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subsection), which request, if timely made, shall be allowed. To be clear, persons reinstated under

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the terms of this section as active members of the retirement system established by this chapter

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shall be reinstated only with such service credits, if any, as they may have earned or purchased in

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accordance with the law and are thereafter subject to all laws and rules otherwise applicable to

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active members.

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     (l) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any Cranston public school employees

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who will be members of National Association of Government Employees (NAGE), Local RI-153,

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hired after June 30, 2012, shall be enrolled in a defined contribution plan (i.e., a 401(a) plan or

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equivalent thereof) established by the Cranston school department and shall not be a member of

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the retirement system established by this chapter.

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     (m) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any Cranston public school employees

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defined in subsection (l) shall be precluded from the purchase of service credit for time served on

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or after July 1, 2012, while participating in the defined contribution plan (i.e., a 401(a) plan or

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equivalent thereof) established by the Cranston public schools should the member cease

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employment with the Cranston public schools or National Association of Government Employees

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(NAGE), Local RI-153 and re-enter the system with another participating employer who has

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accepted the provisions as defined in § 45-21-4.

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     (n) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the chief of police for the city of

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Cranston who was hired on or about September 2014, shall be enrolled in a defined contribution

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plan (i.e., 401(a) plan or any equivalent thereof) established by the city of Cranston, and shall not

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be a member of the retirement system established by this chapter.

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     (o) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, any town of Middletown employees,

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who will be members of the Middletown Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #21, and hired as full-

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time police officers after June 30, 2021, shall be enrolled in a defined contribution plan (i.e., a

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401(a) plan or equivalent thereof) established by the town of Middletown and shall not be members

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of the retirement system established by this chapter. Said town of Middletown employees defined

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herein shall be precluded from the purchase of service credit for time served on or after July 1,

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2021, while participating in the defined contribution plan (i.e., a 401(a) plan or equivalent thereof)

 

LC005997 - Page 5 of 7

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established by the town of Middletown, should the member cease employment with the town of

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Middletown or in the Middletown Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #21 bargaining unit and re-

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enter the system with any participating employer who has accepted the provisions as defined in §

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45-21-4.

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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 TOWNS AND CITIES -- RETIREMENT OF MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES

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     This act would allow town of Middletown employees hired after June 30, 2022, various

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options relating to enrollment in the town's defined contribution plan up to and including December

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31, 2022.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005997

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