The bill amends Section 42-28-22 of the General Laws to revise the retirement benefits for members of the Rhode Island State Police. It establishes that for members who retire on or after July 1, 2026, "whole salary" for retirement calculations will be defined as the highest compensation earned during any consecutive twelve-month period prior to retirement, which includes base salary, longevity increment, holiday pay, clothing allowance, and overtime pay as provided in the collective bargaining agreement.

Starting July 1, 2026, all retired members of the state police or their beneficiaries will receive an annual benefit adjustment of $1,500, which will be added to their retirement allowance and will replace any previous benefit adjustments.

The bill also provides for the prospective recalculation of retirement benefits for members who retired on or after July 1, 2012, and prior to July 1, 2026, to reflect the new benefit structure, without retroactive adjustments for any period prior to July 1, 2026.

Additionally, it specifies that members hired before July 1, 2007, who have served for twenty years may retire with a retirement allowance of fifty percent of whole salary, and those hired on or after July 1, 2007, may retire after twenty-five years of service with the same allowance. Members may also receive an additional three percent for each completed year of service beyond these thresholds, capped at sixty-five percent of whole salary.

The provisions of this act will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
8185: 42-28-22