The bill amends Chapter 16-16 of the General Laws regarding teachers' retirement by introducing a new section, 16-16-24.3, which allows retired teachers to exceed the current ninety-day cap on post-retirement employment, permitting them to work up to one hundred eighty days in a school year. This provision is contingent upon a local education authority (LEA) determining a specialized need for temporary positions that can be filled by retired teachers, provided that the LEA has made a good-faith effort to fill the positions with non-retired employees. Additionally, the LEA must notify the state retirement board and the relevant bargaining agents about the staffing situation, and the number of retired teachers hired cannot exceed five percent of the total certified teacher positions.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that retired teachers employed under this provision will not earn additional service credits or be responsible for pension contributions, although the LEA will make employer contributions as if hiring a new teacher. The bill also includes a provision that maintains the ninety-day cap on post-retirement employment for the first year after a teacher's retirement, after which they can take advantage of the extended employment opportunity. The provisions of this section are retroactive to June 20, 2025, and will sunset one year from enactment or on August 1, 2026, whichever occurs first.

Statutes affected:
1048: 16-16-24.2