The bill amends Chapter 45-2 of the General Laws by adding a new section, 45-2-70, which establishes a reimbursement system for public safety training expenses incurred by municipalities or fire districts when they hire public safety employees (including law enforcement officers, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel) from other municipalities or fire districts within Rhode Island. Under this new provision, the hiring agency is required to reimburse the original employer for the costs of training and equipping the employee, provided these costs were incurred within three years prior to the employee's hire.

Reimbursable expenses include costs for basic and specialized training programs, uniforms, personal protective equipment, equipment and materials provided during the training period, and a prorated portion of the base salary and benefits paid during the training academy period.

The bill outlines specific procedures for reimbursement, including that the reimbursing organization must notify the original employing municipality or fire district within ten days of the employee's hire. The original employer is required to provide an itemized statement of reimbursable costs within thirty days of notification, and payment must be made within one hundred twenty days of receipt of the itemized claim.

Reimbursement percentages are tiered based on the time elapsed since the completion of training: 100% reimbursement for hires made within one year of training academy completion, 75% for hires between one and two years after training academy completion, and 50% for hires between two and three years after training academy completion. This section supersedes any conflicting municipal policies, resolutions, charter provisions or bylaws, or ordinances. The act will take effect upon passage.