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HB 7684

AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES -- RETIREMENT SYSTEM -- CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Matthew Dawson and 1 co-sponsor

HB 7684 expands and unifies retirement eligibility for certain Department of Corrections staff, letting more positions qualify for service-based retirement and allowing credit/serv

04/16/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 7684

Summary of HB 7684 (Rhode Island, 2026) – Relating to Public Officers and Employees — Retirement System — Contributions and Benefits

Overview

  • Bill: HB 7684
  • Session: 2026
  • Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
  • Purpose: To amend retirement system provisions for certain corrections department personnel, expanding retirement eligibility and aligning service retirement rules for specific job titles.

Main Purpose and Intent

  • Extend retirement provisions to include additional correctional staff within the Department of Corrections (DOC) as eligible for service-based retirement.
  • Clarify and adjust retirement age and service requirements for correctional officers and related positions, and provide a mechanism to combine creditable service across different state retirement systems for a single retirement calculation.

Key Provisions and Changes

Section 1: Amendments to 36-10-9.2 (Retirement on service allowance — Correctional officers)

  • Eligible positions (new or clarified):
    • Assistant director (adult services)
    • Assistant deputy director
    • Chief of inspection
    • Deputy chief of inspection
    • Associate directors within the DOC
    • Correctional officer
    • Inspector
    • Chief of security
    • Work rehabilitation program supervisor
    • Supervisor of custodial records and reports
    • Classification counselor

  • Purpose: Adds deputy chief of inspection and inspector to the list of positions eligible for retirement on service allowance, expanding coverage within DOC.

  • Eligibility thresholds and timing:

    • For members who first become eligible after October 1, 2009:
    • Minimum age: 55
    • Minimum total contributory service: 25 years
    • For members who were eligible as of September 30, 2009 but retire after October 1, 2009 and before June 30, 2012:
    • The minimum retirement age of 55 can be adjusted downward proportionally based on the service earned by September 30, 2009.
    • A proportional formula computes the downward adjustment:
      1. Determine the age at retirement eligiblity under the law in effect on Sept. 30, 2009.
      2. Use the member’s total service credit as of Sept. 30, 2009 as numerator; denominator is the eligible service as of Sept. 30, 2009 per the adjusted rule.
      3. Multiply the fraction by the age difference from 55 to apply a reduction in years to age 55.

  • New retirement option for partial service cases (post-2012 contributory service):

    • For members with at least 5 years of contributory service after July 1, 2012 but less than 25 years total:
    • Eligible to retire at the earlier of:
      • Social Security retirement age OR
      • In active service after July 1, 2015: the earliest of:
      • Age 65 with 30+ years total service
      • Age 64 with 31+ years total service
      • Age 63 with 32+ years total service
      • Age 62 with 33+ years total service
      • Or their retirement eligibility date under § 36-10-9(1)(c)(ii)

  • Service combination option (elective credit integration):

    • If a member has service credit in more than one system (state employee service under § 36-10-9, and/or teacher service under § 16-16-12) plus DOC service under subsection (a):
    • Member may elect to combine these service credits to determine a single retirement eligibility date under § 36-10-9 or § 16-16-12.
    • Resulting benefit: a single retirement benefit calculated as:
      • Accrued benefit under § 36-10-10.2, plus
      • Accrued benefit under § 36-10-10 and/or § 16-16-13.

  • Retroactive adjustment for retirees:

    • The combination provision (d) also applies to members who had already retired on a service retirement allowance on or after July 1, 2012.
    • Any adjustment requests must be made in writing to the retirement board and would apply prospectively from the date the board receives the request.

Section 2: Effective Date

  • The act takes effect upon passage.

Who Is Affected

  • DOC employees in the specified positions (including the deputy chief of inspection and inspector) become eligible for correctional officer retirement provisions.
  • Members who have, or will have, credit in multiple Rhode Island retirement systems (state employee and DOC, and potentially teachers) may elect to combine service for a single retirement calculation.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced February 11, 2026; referred to House Finance (January Session amendments).
  • Committee action: April 16, 2026 — Committee recommended the measure be held for further study.
  • No explicit funding or outlay provisions are stated; the changes are primarily act-amendment provisions affecting eligibility and calculation.
  • Effective date: upon passage (immediate effect once enacted).

Potential Impacts

  • Increased retirement eligibility opportunities for more DOC personnel.
  • Potentially earlier retirement for certain employees due to downward adjustments in eligibility age under transitional rules.
  • Streamlined retirement planning for staff who have service across multiple Rhode Island retirement systems through the ability to combine service credits.
  • Administrative considerations for the Retirement Board in processing combination elections and retroactive adjustments.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison of current law vs. HB 7684 language, or a plain-language Q&A for affected employees.

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

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