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HB 8170

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Karen Alzate and 9 co-sponsors

Allows retired Rhode Island teachers and staff to work up to 180 days/yr under strict conditions to address staffing shortages, with 5% cap per LEA.

04/16/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 8170

Summary of HB 8170 (Rhode Island) — 2026 Session

Title

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

Purpose and Intent

  • Restore and temporarily expand the ability for retired teachers, administrators, and other school staff to work beyond the usual post-retirement 90-day limit.
  • Allow up to 180 days of post-retirement employment in a school year under specified conditions to address staffing shortages.
  • Provide a sunset date and retroactive applicability to June 20, 2025.

Key Provisions

Expanded Post-Retirement Employment (New Section 16-16-24.3)

  • Generally, retirees may exceed the 90-day cap and work up to 180 days in a school year if:
    1. The Local Education Authority (LEA) determines a specialized need to fill temporary positions.
    2. The retiree possesses the necessary skills, training, and knowledge to address staffing shortages.
    3. The LEA notifies the Rhode Island State Retirement Board that exceeding the cap is necessary to address staffing shortages.
  • Conditions and limitations:
    • Not offered unless the LEA has first attempted to fill positions with non-retirees and has documented this effort in writing to both the retirement system and the applicable bargaining agents.
    • The LEA must disclose in its notice to the retirement board and bargaining agents:
    • Total number of certified teaching positions within the LEA,
    • Number of positions filled currently, and the number of positions the LEA seeks to fill.
    • The total number of retired teachers that an LEA may hire under this section may not exceed 5% of the LEA’s total certified teacher positions reported to the retirement board.
  • Employment credits:
    • Retirees employed under this section shall not earn additional service credits, and shall not contribute to the pension as a result of such employment.
    • The employer (LEA) must make the employer contribution as if the district had hired a new teacher member.

Temporary Bill Timing and Retroactivity

  • The provisions apply retroactively to June 20, 2025.
  • They sunset one year after enactment or on August 1, 2026–2027, whichever occurs first (the text presents a slightly conflicting date range; the explanation notes sunset on August 1, 2027).

Related Provisions

  • The act expires June 26, 2026 for the section as drafted, but the sunset mechanism is ultimately specified in the main section (needs careful reading in final text).

Affected Parties

  • Retired teachers, administrators, and staff members who might return to work under post-retirement provisions.
  • Local Education Authorities (LEAs) managing staffing shortages.
  • The Rhode Island State Retirement Board (RISRB).
  • Certified teaching staff within LEAs, as well as bargaining agents/unions with whom LEAs have contracts.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: February 27, 2026.
  • Referred to: House Finance.
  • Committee action: Recommended for hold for further study (April 16, 2026).
  • Retroactive date: June 20, 2025.
  • Sunset/date of expiration: Either August 1, 2026/2027 or one year after enactment, depending on final wording.
  • Effective date: Takes effect upon passage.

Practical Impact

  • Aimed at alleviating teacher/administrative staffing shortages by leveraging seasoned retirees for up to 180 days in a school year.
  • Provides a structured framework with caps (5% of LEA certified positions) and strict conditions to ensure careful deployment and disclosure.
  • Keeps retirees financially inactive in terms of pension contribution during the post-retirement work period, while ensuring LEAs fund the position as if filling with a new hire.

Notes

  • The bill is currently in the preliminary stage with committee recommendations to study further.
  • Final interpretation should confirm the sunset date and ensure alignment with other retirement and employment laws.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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